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Last Man Standing

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Last Man Standing (1996)

September. 20,1996
|
6.4
|
R
| Drama Action Crime
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John Smith is a mysterious stranger who is drawn into a vicious war between two Prohibition-era gangs. In a dangerous game, he switches allegiances from one to another, offering his services to the highest bidder. As the death toll mounts, Smith takes the law into his own hands in a deadly race to stay alive.

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Reviews

Kattiera Nana
1996/09/20

I think this is a new genre that they're all sort of working their way through it and haven't got all the kinks worked out yet but it's a genre that works for me.

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Solemplex
1996/09/21

To me, this movie is perfection.

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UnowPriceless
1996/09/22

hyped garbage

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ActuallyGlimmer
1996/09/23

The best films of this genre always show a path and provide a takeaway for being a better person.

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Mad_Doctor_Tom
1996/09/24

Hard to believe no one reviewer made the connection between this movie, and the 2 I believe this to be remakes of sorts, 1] A Fistful Of Dollars -1964 & 2] For A Few Dollars More -1965., both from Clint's classic Man With No Name Collection.If you liked this then you should watch the 2 originals along with The Good, The Bad, & The Ugly as well as Hang' Em High - 1968.Looking forward to the thoughts of those reviewers and other after they watch the aforementioned Clint Eastwood movies and compare them to Bruce Willis' entry of Last Man Standing.

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gregmaitland
1996/09/25

Have just finished watching this. It's basically a Prohibition Era rehash of A Fist Full of Dollars. No twists or change to the story line. Just Christopher Walken using a Thompson machine gun instead of a Gatling Gun. Was enjoyable, but I'm glad I didn't pay to see it. Stick to the original and you won't go wrong.

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Jackson Booth-Millard
1996/09/26

I remembered the title of this film because of the leading actor, but also because critics gave it the lowest review, one star out of five, I also found out it was a remake of Yojimbo which I watched not long before, had to see what I'd think, directed by Walter Hill (The Long Riders, 48 Hrs., Brewster's Millions, Red Heat, Bullet to the Head). Basically set in the 1930s in Prohibition-era Texas, aimless drifter John Smith (Bruce Willis) is an amoral gunslinger, escaping his latest (unspecified) exploits, he turns up in the town of Jericho, Texas. Actually Jericho is not so much a town, it has become more like a ghost town, because of two warring gangs, one Italian mafia led by Fredo Strozzi (Ned Eisenberg) and one Irish mafia led by Mr. Doyle (Commando's David Patrick Kelly), have driven away "decent folk". Smith sees this rivalry as an opportunity to take advantage and make some money, playing both sides against each other, and working as a hired gun for both, current Sheriff, Ed Galt (Bruce Dern), also seems to be exploiting the conflict for personal gain. Smith may be not be afraid to display his mercenary intentions, but he does risk his own life in the process of what he is doing, the one to fear above all seems to be Doyle's right-hand man Hickey (Christopher Walken) who has no problem killing whoever gets in his way. In the end, Smith's actions are discovered by one or both sides, he gets a severe beating, but he survives it, gets revenge and kills everyone who deserve what's coming, he consoles that both gangs are better off dead, and he drives off into the distance. Also starring Alexandra Powers as Lucy Kolinski, William Sanderson as Joe Monday, Karina Lombard as Felina, Michael Imperioli as Giorgio Carmonte, R.D. Call as Jack McCool, Leslie Mann as Wanda, Tiny Ron as Jacko the Giant and Insidious's Lin Shaye as The Madame. Willis is okay as the tough mobster hard man who turns up in a dodgy town full of lowlifes, Walken does do well as the sinister henchman, I was much more engaged by the amount of bloody violence and shotguns and machine guns blazing, apart from that I can see reasons why critics give it a low review, it is pretty predictable, full of clichés, and at times slow and boring, overall it's a disappointing action thriller. Adequate!

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Benjamin Cox
1996/09/27

You ever have a film in your mind that you loved as a kid but have since drifted away from? I remember watching this around the time of release and fell for its overly stylised, excessive violence and moody, oppressive atmosphere. But watching it again last night, I was left wondering exactly why I fell for it so badly. It might not be the most original picture out there and it certainly isn't what you'd call uplifting. But there is a strange, almost cartoon-y level of carnage that action fans will lap up. A pity then, that the film is about as deep as your average burst of Tom & Jerry.Bruce Willis plays a drifter who goes by the name of John Smith who winds up in the dead-end ghost town of Jericho, Texas. Quickly discovering that the town is the site of a vicious dispute between two gangs of bootleggers, Smith senses an opportunity to make a quick buck by playing the gangs off against each other. After working with the Italians led by Strozzi (Ned Eisenberg) and then the Irish families led by Doyle (David Patrick Kelly), Smith's plan quickly unravels when Doyle's psychotic right-hand man Hickey (Christopher Walken) reappears in town and takes exception to Smith's quickly-earned reputation as the ultimate gun-for-hire...Shot in a warm orange glow that's reminiscent of a sepia photograph, "Last Man Standing" is a real oddity that blends westerns, gangsters and even Kurosawa in a not-entirely-successful picture. The setting is an odd mix of a hot and sticky western town and even has a corrupt sheriff (Bruce Dern) but seems populated almost entirely by sharp-suited gangsters in old Fords, a snivelling bartender (William Sanderson) and an undertaker for whom business is good. The plot, which shouldn't be that confusing to follow, is lost in a mire of mumbling characters and possibly the dullest voice-over in history by Willis who appears to have suffered from a personality bypass. The problem is exacerbated when Willis and Walken share the screen as each of them sneer and growl at each other like a couple of grumpy old dogs instead of lighting the screen up with sparkling dialogue like the stars they are. At times, it's almost laughable.But then a scene appears when Willis gets to do some serious ass-kicking and indeed, "Last Man Standing" does not disappoint in this department. There is a strong sense that writer/director Walter Hill spent a lot of time watching "Desperado" because this film also has baddies flying through the air, bullets raining down from Willis's dual pistols (which only run out of ammo when the baddies are either dead or reloading themselves) as the screen lights up with muzzle flashes. It is jolly well done and very exciting but when the guns are holstered and Willis is smooth-talking his way into the bed of moll Lucy (Alexandra Powers), the film badly sags. There's no real pulse behind it as the film continues to tell its story, which is one that really hasn't any got much substance to it. Certainly, nothing ever feels at stake and Willis's enigmatic loner is a difficult hero to get behind. Seasoned action fans will get a kick out of this but I can't avoid the feeling that it needed something else. "Desperado" has a feeling of fun to it, a sense that its OK to laugh in places - not to mention the sexiest sidekick of the 90's, Salma Hayek. "Last Man Standing" has no joy or fun to it and in many ways, it's like Smith himself - awesome when there is a gun in its hand but without it, it's a load of nothing.

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