Point Blank (1998)

Warning: Spoilers! I remember first watching this movie not so many years after its release on VHS.Mickey Rourke in his career's best shape, along with Double Team (1997) was what struck me first. There's no doubt he'd been spending some time doing bench press and curls for this part. An impressive physique for somebody who otherwise had an average build. In his boxing days he didn't look anything like this. And I'm pretty sure he could've done the fighting scenes all by himself, had director Matt Earl Beesley given him a chance. Instead, it was wrongly decided he had to be some 'karate master'. Unsuccessful editing ahead, unfortunately. Part from that, he does not speak many lines throughout the movie, but his emotional scenes along with Kevin Gage are as real as can be.Paul Ben-Victor as the 'boss'. I loved him. A bad guy, with his witty comments and nonchalant attitude. Not to mention gay. One of those guys you just love to hate. Of course he gets what he deserves in the end.Michael Wright as one of the ex-military baddies who realizes he's finished. He's "sorry" for catching his wife in adultery, and stabbing the guy who screwed her 14 times and cutting his throat. An obsessive psycho, but I did feel sorry for him. Of course he goes out with guns blazing 'T2'-style. A harmony of closure and violence. Perfect.Werner Schreyer as the young kid who caught some bad luck and got his death sentence. I felt a bit sorry for him too, although not as sorry as I felt for Michael Wright's character. I'm not sure the party's over for this pretty boy or not. Although Danny Trejo said so. He's the perfect main bad guy. On drugs, lousy aim and immune to physical pain. Of course it takes Rourke on steroids to deal with him. The showdowns between, them mixed with the guitar solos have a special vibe to them. Music sets the mood more than you'd think, and could transcend otherwise average fight scenes (which really is the case here) into something you'll remember.Forget about the story, the plot and such. There is no such thing. You would not watch this movie for these things. Yes, it is a rip-off of certain movies which are a lot better. 'Leon' (1994), also mentioned by other users, being one example. Technically as a movie, it belongs in the low budget category, and I can very well understand why it was released direct-to-video.I still give it a 10 out of 10. Call it sentimental value.

Gay Howard, a prisoner convicted of white-collar crimes masterminds a prison break while his fellow prisoners are being transported. They succeed and hole up in a local mall where they take hostages and try to make demands of the police who surround the place. Unfortunately for the criminals a former mercenary and all-round tough guy, Rudy Ray (Mickey Rourke) is after them, in no small part because his brother is one of the escaped prisoners. Check your brain at the door for this one, folks. It's all about explosions and lots of gunfire. None of it makes much sense under scrutiny and the films ever so slightly homophobic (I referred to Howard as 'gay Howard' earlier in the review as the film makes it abundantly clear). The action is good, if utterly ridiculous and the film apes from MUCH better films (Die Hard, Leon, etcetera), but fans of Rourke or Danny Trejo (who is suitably over-the-top as the 'crazy' villain) will enjoy this flick. Just don't expect anything more than a fun little weightless diversion. It feels more like an '80's film than one for the late '90's though.My B-movie grade: B-

The film was shot at Seminary South, a semi-closed mall in Ft. Worth,Tx, likely the cheapest location they could find. That was the primary reason I watched this film, being a local.Letdown? That's an understatement. After hearing the local preproduction hype I was hoping for more than an outlaw version of Walker, Texas Ranger.Sadly, I was forced to watch just that.The writing's bad, the acting is poor and the production values are pure B-grade. But, Mickey looks like he has been spending lots of time at the gym.

Years ago I saw the trailer for this movie on another video. Needless to say I was sold. The trailer featured the action scenes to the thumping music of Guns 'n' Roses' "Knocking on Heaven's Door" and showed an incredibly beefed up Mickey Rourke strolling through the carnage in slow motion like he was indestructible. After big budget high concept crap like "Con Air" and "Armageddon" this movie looked like a refreshing throw back to the good old days of 80's cinema. And in deed it was. The plot, a knock off of "Die Hard" and numerous others, isn't the central story. The main focus is on the Mickster, an ex Texas Ranger, who might have to kill his brother, a drug dealer, who along with his low life cohorts, has escaped from prison and taken over a mall and everyone in it hostage. Mickey does a good job playing the tormented former lawman and he also proves he's upto the action scenes. He is HUGE in this movie. Bigger than the rest to the cast. SPOILER ALERT!Credit must be given to Director Beesley. What could have been another dime store direct to video action stinker turned into a nasty, in your face movie that had some surprising moments, especially the final touching scenes between Mickey and his dying brother.Some people have complained the film has too much slow motion. I don't think so. At least an effort was made to distinguish this film from hundreds of others. Although it's not perfect it serves up action better than the last couple of Stallone movies and it is certainly the best thing Mickey's done in years.3 out of 5