The Fugitive (1993)

The spoilers in this film are right beneath the film title. How on Earth are people expected to enjoy a film that has been ruined by the movie synopsis which should only read "Nationwide manhunt for Dr Kimble who has been accused of killing his wife". Any more information than that comes from watching the film. Boy I really hate stupid people. IMDB need to change the summary underneath the film title instead of spoiling the film for people who have never seen it. We are NOT supposed to know whether he is innocent or guilty you morons!

Films about people being framed or misunderstood - The Warriors (1979) and Jagten (2012) come to mind - are often so brilliantly dramatic and entertaining. The Fugitive was cool, but I don't get all the Oscar attention it ended up getting. It seems like a pretty standard action film to me, and those kinds of movies never get anything beyond one or two technical nods.

In one sentence: this movie is too smart for it's own good. The story from a basic point of view is actually quite interesting. A doctor falsely accused of murdering his wife is convicted to death, but manages to escape, which initiates a huge hunt for the fugitive. While on the run, he spends his time trying to find out who was really behind the killing, with the US Marshalls right behind him…The problem with the movie is, that it cuts too many corners for the story to work. The unrealistic, predictable and stupid/illogical things are standing in line, which makes it a bit exhausting to watch. A couple of examples:During Kimble's visit of Driscol in prison (or whatever it is) where the US Marshalls are there as well, why not set security at each exit? Makes no sense. Even when he is spotted by Gerard. Instead of contacting each and every one of his colleagues, he decides to chase him down a staircase. Why even show up a team of god knows many cops, when all you do anyway is work alone? Apparently it's extremely easy, to access each and every room at a hospital. Kimble walks right into a room filled with medicine, a prosthetic lab and god knows how many other rooms without any clearance. People don't even ask what he is doing there. Amazing, just amazing. After Nichols admits that he was approached by Kimble, why not keep a tab on him? In case he does it again. After all, of all the people Kimble could've contacted, Nichols was the one he decided. Of course it's Nichols who's behind it all. It's always the least suspect, who's behind the crime/conspiracy. If it were Lentz, the whole plot of the movie would end up like any other action/crime movie: the good beats the bad. With a movie like this, where the work behind/towards the reveling has been so intensely, you need a bigger/smarter ending. Unfortunately it's so predictable, it makes me wanna puke. Why not use the press? TV, newspapers etc. This guy is a convicted killer, he's dangerous, plus he's in a city with 2,7 million citizens. Why not try and use these to your advantage? - instead of hoping he will show up at a place where some cop hopefully recognizes him (which they obviously is doing a terrible job at). Both Ford and Lee Jones are doing a great job in this movie, which raises it to a higher level than it really deserves. That's the most positive thing I can say about this movie. I know if all these things I've mentioned hadn't happened, there would be no movie. But, at least they could have tried to make it a bit more realistic. Get into more details, point out why it's possible for Kimble to access all these rooms, point out why the US Marshalls aren't thinking about closing exit's in the buildings/places they spot him, instead of each and every time chase him without any luck. These lack of information's and details make the movie so superficial, to a point where it's almost pathetic.

Dr Richard Kimble is a leading surgeon at a major Chicago hospital but that doesn't help him when he is accused of murdering his wife. All the evidence is stacked against him; there is no sign of a forced entry, there are no unexplained fingerprints, she had scratched him, her dying 911 message sounded as if she was saying he did it and his story about finding a one armed killer in his house seems very far-fetched. He is tried and convicted to death but as the bus takes him to prison another prisoner attacks a guard; this sets off a series events that causes the bus to crash onto the railway line that runs alongside the road. Kimble gets out just before a train hits the wreckage. The police assume there are no survivors but US Marshal Deputy Samuel Gerard isn't so sure and sure enough it becomes obvious that somebody has survived. Kimble is on the run but rather than heading for somewhere far away he sets about getting back to Chicago so he can find the 'one armed man'… not exactly the actions of a guilty man. Gerard starts to suspect that Kimble might be innocent but that won't stop him trying to catch him; it is his job to catch escaped felons not solve crimes.This film may be almost twenty five years old but it still feels fresh. Things get off to a good start and it isn't immediately obvious that Kimble isn't guilty. The scene where the crashed bus is hit by a train is spectacular without being overdone… we don't see the smash repeated from different angles as I've seen in at least one other film featuring a similar event. That might be the most spectacular event but there are lots of other great moments; most notably Kimble leaping from a dam into the turbulent water below. There is also more action towards the end as Kimble closes in on the real killer and the authorities close in on Kimble. Harrison Ford does a fine job as Dr Kimble… although I imagine the only reason for his beard, which made him look about twenty years older, was so he could shave it off later as part of his change of appearance to aid his evasion of capture. Tommy Lee Jones is equally good as Gerard; he is an interesting character as while he is in some ways an antagonist he is really a good man hunting a man convicted of murder. There are also solid performances from Joe Pantoliano as Gerard's deputy and Andreas Katsulas as the 'One armed man' among others. There is a bit of a twist at the end although this isn't too much of a surprise. Overall I'd definitely recommend this to anybody wanting a good solid thriller with little in the way of offensive material.