Seven Hours to Judgment (1988)

Truly Dreadful Film

Absolutely brilliant

Very good movie overall, highly recommended. Most of the negative reviews don't have any merit and are all pollitically based. Give this movie a chance at least, and it might give you a different perspective.

An old-fashioned movie made with new-fashioned finesse.

I am surprised that none of the viewers of this 1988 movie have seemingly thought of 2009 LAW ABIDING CITIZEN, starring Gerald Butler and Jamie Fox, and telling nearly the very same story. I say nearly, not exactly. The cruel vengeance of an ordinary man who desperately seeks revenge of the men who killed his wife, and who becomes worse than them. And the judge, in both stories - Jamie Fox in 2009 feature, and Beau Bridges in this one - are shown as the good guys vs the villain one - the victim seeking vengeance !!! A very interesting scheme, isn'it? !!I suppose there are some other films with such topics, telling the same stories, films made for TV or video releasing, bad directed and acted. B movies, for most of them. The only positive thing in this is that those features give us sometimes interesting schemes, that we don't find in big budget movies, which don't dare to take risks, and use always the same tales, for the most popular audiences. Such a shame.

***SPOILERS*** Off the wall movie about how the justice system fails those that its supposed to protect that has the victim, or her husband, look far worse then his victimizers.With his wife Ellen, Sandra Lee Gimple, after being pushed off a subway platform on life support TV electronic pitchman David, known professionally as "Crazy Davy", Reardon, Ron Leibman, tries to get the judge handling his wife's attackers case John Eden, Beau Bridges, evidence that would have them indited. Judge Eden telling the distraught husband to take the evidence to the D.A's office has Reardon loses it and then ends up not only kidnapping Eden's wife Lisa, Julianne Phillips, but the judge himself.Reardon coming up with this insane plan for Eden to get the evidence within seven hours or else he'll murder his wife ends up letting those who attacked his wife, who had since died of her wounds, get away with even more crimes. That's by Reardon knowingly allying himself, in his attempt to kill Eden, with them! Besides himself Reardon has this seven foot tall hulking assistant Ira, Tiny Ron, in on the plan to do in both Eden and his wife without him, by being a bit retarded, not really realizing it. Treating Ira like a full-grown baby Reardon gives him all the kindness and understanding that he so desperately needed after someone very very close to him departed the scene. You see Ira has never been the same since his beloved pet parakeet passed away. In having the sweet fatherly and understanding Reardon, who gives Ira all kinds of toys and games to play with, as his boss in a way helps Ira forget all that.***SPOILERS*** We have Eden running an inner city obstacle course in him getting the evidence to indict and convict Reardon's wife's killer gang leader Chino played by the handsome charismatic and and very talented, and who's never been seen or heard from since, Reggie Johnson. This crazy scheme thought out by the now obvious insane Reardon comes crashing down on his head with him, not Mr & Mrs Eden, becoming history by the time the movie ends.

Another film that attempts to make a comment on how the legal system allows criminals to use loopholes to slip out of being penalized, while victims suffer. However, the character Ron Leibman plays comes off as a lunatic instead of the anguished husband of a murdered victim as the story wears on. The premise of the film seems very far fetched as well, especially in the scenes where Beau Bridges is facing down gang toughs. There is no chemistry between Bridges and Moore (she plays his wife), either. Could have been a much better film for the ideas it was trying to get across.

Oddly enough i saw this movie a few times as I worked at a theatre and well could never afford film school and dreamed of what would never be. oddly enough as i recall now in hindsight MORT ABRAHAMS was in the theatre with me watching the movie. Wish i would have recognized him then. A curious thing but well, a footnote in my past now. the film is a cross between psycho and the REBECCA LYONS version of THE LADY THE TIGER AND THE DOOR and a "on the lamb movie". The film mixes courtroom drama with a race against time as a judge must be judged by the derrainged survivor of a murder spree who lost his wife. The judge must try to save his wife while racing through SEATTLE to find clues and being pursused by vicious street gangs who do not want the truth to come out. A great modest budget movie which features a fine cast including some very talented extras. the film was an independent feature from TRANSWORLD, before they went primarily straight to video. The film sports good directoral and production values. I liked the "dream like" otherworldly sequences which added a human touch to the judge and a artsy feel. The film did more monetarily on video tape after theatrical release. A fine movie relesed in sleeper status with little fan fare or advertisement. Several films did this one the year before in 1987 was THE HIDDEN.