Black Dog (1998)

I have to give this movie a 5 and I'm pretty light on these reviews. And maybe I'm different than a lot of other people Not sure what they were watching but I'm a patrick swayze fan and an 80's fan. Plus I re-watched this movie recently right next to my girlfriend who actually drives truck for a company. So she could explain all the things in it they are mentioned. Which that didn't bother me. I love when its new things they don't explain it to to you in a film. Not every one who watches the movies needs to be spoon fed. If they do then they need to buy the movie re watch it over.But for Patrick Swayze alone I'm giving this a 5. Sorry but meatloaf was funny but his acting was great. And I will continue to post about the lack of female characters and their limited role. This lady was just a good looking and her acting was pretty damn terrible. I mean really. And I was going to let her slide but I can't. Its not original either especially around the time this got made. Their were tons of low budget films where a husband had to support his family or got himself involved with criminals where they threatened the family. And then the plot went on. Kind of reminds me of those late 80's Steven Seagal movies.But the movie is for me a must not watch. I guess cause I was looking of the "next of kin" and picked this up on blue ray for cheap. So I even watched in 1080 and wasn't impressed which says a lot. Cause I watch older movies in 1080 and I just give them 4 points just off the fact I can actually see well into the background.I maybe faulting this movie cause its about trucking and the plot which its there but its just all over the place. Even where the black FBI agent gets shot. Pretty stupid and out of line. The part where the guy is telling locations is pretty dumb. It got so predictable when he went to open the crate up I said to my girlfriend "those are guns". How many movies, (lethal weapon, Beverly hills cop and many others) where they had guns in a crate. My girlfriend even had to explain what weight they had to be at and how close they were to not making weight for a truck. Something the director didn't even play into when they weighed the truck. And then the guard let him go.So the FBI risked a truck with guns, with an agent in it and let them drive it with a person with no license. Don't even get me going on the black dog. My girlfriend had no clue what that is or she didn't really think it was big deal. Cause she barely blinked an eye when that seen came on explaining it. They had some things blowing up, it was good for them. They really missed out on a lot of things in this movie. A couple of great fight scenes in this movie would have been nice and more sarcasm. This was the 90's. Where is the sarcasm at? And this was made in 1998 with movies like saving private Ryan and pleasanttville? Nope not buying the plot. They lacked creativity on this one. This was like a smokey in the bandit mixed with out for justice. Its very rare I review a movie with this low rating and must not see but I have to for this one. It will collect dust in my blu ray collection. And one more thing that could have saved this movie is the lead FBI agent. She was terrible. The police set the tone for the whole movie. The make you feel a good chase coming along. They are about the suspense. And just like in real life police have sarcasm. You should leave a film feeling as they were on the right path then something went wrong at ever turn. Ups and downs like real detectives and real cases. This case made you feel like "put the paper work on my desk I will arrest them when necessary"

Patrick Swayze stars as Jack Crews, a New Jersey dock worker in some serious financial trouble. His crooked boss, Cutler (Graham Beckel), offers Jack a sizable sum to transport some goods, despite the fact that Jack has no licence and legally is not allowed to drive. Desperate for the cash, Jack takes the job, but soon finds out that he's running guns. Together with sidekicks like aspiring country songwriter Earl (real life country star Randy Travis), he must avoid goons like the relentless Red (singer Meat Loaf), who tries to hijack the weapons for himself."Black Dog" is just the kind of thing you watch when you don't want to have to think too much. The script is very unimaginative, but then the story is merely a set up for a non-stop array of extremely impressive vehicular stunts, which all seem to be done the old fashioned, practical way. As a no-brainer action movie, "Black Dog" *does* do its job well enough. It also helps that some of the characters are genuinely engaging. Cutler and Red are very much stock villains; it comes as no surprise when Cutler barges in on Jacks' wife (Brenda Strong) and daughter (Erin Broderick) and threatens them in order to manipulate Jack. The comedy relief doesn't particularly work, coming from characters such as Wes (Brian Vincent) and ATF Agent McClaren (Stephen Tobolowsky); McClaren has a predictably antagonistic relationship with Ford (Charles Dutton), a hot tempered FBI agent on the case.The supporting cast is fairly solid. Travis is pretty darn amusing, as is Meat Loaf, although the latters' dialogue gets to be annoying towards the end. The late Swayze never was an especially dynamic actor, but he creates a reasonably sympathetic and reasonably bad ass hero.For what this is, it's enjoyable. This viewer just wishes that it wouldn't have had two separate climaxes.Good soundtrack, too.Six out of 10.

An ex-con (Patrick Swayze) takes a job driving a truck cross country. What he does not know is that the truck is filled with illegal weapons and now he must fight to survive and save his family.This film is given low ratings, and I suspect the reason is that people wanted it to be more than it is. This is the story of a man who has one chance to make a big score, and he is followed by trouble -- explosions and car crashes ensue. If you wanted more than a nice popcorn-munching film, you put the wrong DVD in, my friend.I enjoyed this one. I did have a question or two about the plot that I think was never fully answered, but then I had to refer myself to the previous paragraph: I was expecting too much and should just relax. After that change of perspective, it is a joy.

The movie talks upon an ex-con named Jack(Patrick Swayze), he's working as mechanic in New Jersey, the bank is about to evict his house and he has no other choice taking a job for Red(Meat Loaf), driving a large truck in a long ride cross county, all the way from Atlanta . The truck is filled with illegal arms and he must to fight for saving his spouse(Brenda Strong) and daughter. Meanwhile the ATF and Feds (Stephen Tobolowski, Charles S Dutton, Lorraine Toussaint)are after from him.The motion picture packs noisy action, race trucks, exciting thriller and is quite amusing, furthermore contains an eerie twist plot with the legend of apparition an ominous black dog. It's entertaining because from the beginning to the end the action packed and suspense is nonstop. Patrick Swayze( unforgettable in Dirty dancing) as a two-fisted action man saving his family is cool though a little wizened.Colorful cinematography and catching musical score by George S Clinton. The picture is professionally directed by Kevin Hooks( son of actor Robert Hooks).He's an action movies expert (Passenger 57 , Fled, among others), though he usually works for television , filming known and famous series( Prison break, 24, Lost, Cold case, NYPD Blue..). Rating : Acceptable and passable and it will like to action movies buffs and Patrick Swayze fans.