The Fugitive (1993)

Nice effects though.

hyped garbage

This is a coming of age storyline that you've seen in one form or another for decades. It takes a truly unique voice to make yet another one worth watching.

It's the kind of movie you'll want to see a second time with someone who hasn't seen it yet, to remember what it was like to watch it for the first time.

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!

I'd only seen snippets of this movie in the past but never the entire picture until the other evening. I thought it was a well plotted thriller with only a couple of minor quibbles that distracted from the main story. One was when Richard Kimble (Harrison Ford), on the run from Deputy Marshal Samuel Gerard (Samuel Gerard), committed an unforced error by responding to the sound of his name on the staircase. The other was during the St. Patrick's Day Parade, Kimble sheds his heavy topcoat and when he heads out of the parade route, Gerard appears to have been walking closely behind without realizing it. My question would be - how and where would Kimble have discarded the coat without anyone noticing? Otherwise, the film's story line was well scripted with tantalizing details regarding the villains of the piece dispensed like crumbs to help the viewer follow Kimble's progress in solving the crime of his wife's murder. But aside from Kimble, it's Tommy Lee Jones's character, Samuel Gerard, that keeps the story crackling with beat pounding forensic work and deftly inserted humor to sharpen the suspense. I liked the idea that Gerard slowly but steadily brought his own way of thinking around to consider that Kimble might be innocent, something you don't see very often when authorities think they have an open and shut case. And in this instance, the case had already been decided once, so Gerard and the rest of his team were more or less involved in a deadly cat and mouse game until the pieces with Dr. Charles Nichols (Jeroen Krabbé) and security expert Sykes (Andreas Katsulas) began to fall into place. I guess the biggest downside to the picture if there is one, is that we didn't get to see Sela Ward all that much. As Mrs. Richard Kimble, she wasn't on screen very long, nor was Julianne Moore, who shares top billing as the doctor who smoked out Kimble's ruse at the hospital. Both were fine in limited roles, along with Joe Pantoliano as Gerard's second in command. But gee, who names their kid Cosmo?

I feel like all the Oscar love gives this film a strange reputation. Did it deserve them? In hindsight, probably not. Does that somehow make this a lesser film? Of course not.This is an entertaining thrill ride but lacks the subtlety, character nuance or social/political relevance to leave a lasting impact. Does anyone really remember the plot? Or just the chase scenes and waterfall dive and insane train crash and the two great actors facing off in what is basically their movie star personas perfected?(How did Tommy Lee win for this? I don't know what his perception was at the time but this is a straight Tommy Lee perf. I love him and all but there was also Fiennes and Postelthwaite that year. Just saying.)

Long before there was CGI, special effects, and a barrage of movies based on comic books, there was movies based on good acting with solid storytelling and precise editing. The Fugitive is a timeless classic that gets better with each watch. You'll like it the first time you see it, but it will get more and more likable with each subsequent view. Tommy Lee Jones stands out and delivers a crisp performance, nailing every layer, note, and nuance of his character. Deservedly, he won the Academy Award. Harrison Ford, at the peak of his box office star pull, also gives one of his all time career best performances as Dr. Richard Kimble, a man on the run.From start to finish, The Fugitive barely lets up. Though at sometimes simplistic, intelligent layers peak through the story, and the common action scenes still feel fresh, original, and necessary. The score is excellent, editing great. A classic. 9/10