Cold Steel (1987)

Excellent but underrated film

There is, somehow, an interesting story here, as well as some good acting. There are also some good scenes

Let me be very fair here, this is not the best movie in my opinion. But, this movie is fun, it has purpose and is very enjoyable to watch.

Blistering performances.

From getting to watch the Sharon stone film library and being a fan after watching basic instinct and total recall, this was just more embarrassingly horrible in a way where you about to see if Arnold was Captain America (it's true). the main character hero, his acting was so bad that's the reason there was 4 writers on this, can't you get James R. Silke to do it, he did it really good with the ninja movies, anyway I'm getting off topic on this film. Sharon was okay, but only one flaws bothers me when her accent gets off when she says "You're a liar". No offense. I can say this, this is rather a cold flop when your husband is about to get insane, trying to get a idea after he's watching this film, trying to shove a lot of DVDs of Godzilla (1998) up your "C**t. Rating: 1/10 (Godawful film). Jeez. Note: Columbia Pictures associated with RCA Video had the rights to release it home video on VHS and then Sony Pictures released it on DVD and then as of today, it would never seemed to have the guts of towards getting a blu ray release made, Why the hell would Sony still own it as of today. It should been in public domain territory.

After his father is slashed to death on Christmas Eve, handsome Los Angeles policeman Brad Davis (as Johnny Modine) embarks on the inevitable. While pursuing meth-addicted Jonathan Banks (as Isaac), Mr. Davis gets sexy Sharon Stone (as Kathy Connors) to show a little skin. The hero is supported by buddy Jay Acovone (as Cookie) and former glam / new wave rocker Adam Ant (as Mick) helps the villain. A flashback reveals some violent silliness triggered the plot. We get a good chase scene, with plenty of crashing. "The Godfather" writer's rarely seen daughter Dorothy Ann Puzo directed.***** Cold Steel (12/11/87) Dorothy Ann Puzo ~ Brad Davis, Sharon Stone, Jonathan Banks, Adam Ant

****SPOILERS**** Brad Davis, Johnny Modine, in a 1987 cop thriller set in LA with him looking for the killer of his dad Sam Modine, William Lanteau, and finds a whole lot more then he bargained for in the process. The movie "Cold Steel" has the distinction of being the first and last film directed by Mario Puzo's, who wrote "The Godfather", daughter Dorothy Ann Puzo. Being a first-time directed film it isn't exactly a modern Film-Noir classic or top-flight police action drama but it is quite watchable. The pacing by Ann does move the movie along with a number of shoot outs and an incredible car chase scene that ends up, in of all places, at a racetrack. The final scene in the film with Johnny having it out with the bad-guy in the movie Jonathan Banks, Issac the Iceman, and his mob at the new LA Police Headquarters construction site is a real thriller. The climatic and exciting scene is as good as anything that you'll see in films similar to "Cold Steel" like "Die Hard". Brad Davis though very likable in his role as policeman Johnny Modine is a bit off when it comes to being a tough and expert law enforcement officer.You can forgive Johnny early in the movie when he's a bit too aggressive with a robber he arrested at a grocery store in the police station. It was days after his father was murdered and Johnny wasn't exactly interested in following the law by the letter where a person is innocent until being proved guilty, as well as him only being the cop not the judge and jury. But Johnny falling for Kathy Connors, Sharon Stone, who walked into his life, or bar, and practically threw herself at him should have been something that Johnny should have been very suspicious of. Johnny should have known that the drop dead gorgeous looking Kathy wasn't exactly interested in his striking good looks as well as his very refined social graces. Johnny was almost on the floor slouching on a chair at the bar drunk when Kathy first met him.It later turned out that Kathy had a very personal reason to get to know Johnny and become very friendly with him, and it wasn't love at first sight, in order to set him up for the kill by Issac who murdered his father. Sharon Stone has a much broader range of acting then you would have expected her to have in a B-movie like "Cold Steel" and showed the talent she had back then, in 1987, that later made her one of the top ranking actresses in motion pictures that she later became.Everybody in the movie seemed to be really enjoying themselves in their roles and it showed on the screen with the film never bogging down and becoming boring. The big secret in the movie about Issac killing Johnnies father as well as Issac's connection with Kathy who's brother Eddie, Michael Warren, was a major factor in her allying herself with him. Kathy trying to kill Johnny was a bit strange and unusual but still interesting and did make sense, to Kathy at least. Jonathan Banks' Issac was a better then average psycho drug addicted killer but the idea of giving him a gang, when he would have been better as a lone killer, who's job seemed to be committing robberies to get money to buy Issac drugs was a bit far fetched to say the least. The reason for that was because he didn't want anyone to see his face! That's what Issac kept saying over and over in the movie. If anyone did like Johnnies father and the Fishman, Ron Karabatsos, Issac murdered them as if he were some very well known and wanted criminal who would be recognized by anyone as soon as they saw him! Yet both Johnnies father and the Fishman, who were killed by him, had no idea who the heck Issac was when they saw him! It was sad to see Brad Davis in one of his last movies before he died of AIDS in 1991 and realize what a great talent he was and how many good films and theater performances he would have giving the public had he lived. The movie "Cold Steel" is a fair and modest action film but it didn't give Brad, who did the best he could with his role in the movie, the opportunity to show the public the fine actor that he really was.

This movie is an absolute must see for all true film fans. A wonderfully entertaining one and a half hour cliche fest. From the ludicrously over the top car chases, to the hackneyed dialogue, wholly predictable plot "twists" and diabolical attempts at comedy there's always something to laugh at (though never with). This film deserves to be a mainstay of drinking games, just go to one of the movie cliche websites, print off a list of the cop movie cliches and drink whenever one appears. If that's not enough to get you completely hammered you could always try downing your drink whenever Brad Davis's character seems to completely forget the fact that his father's just been murdered. Cold Steel is brilliant if enjoyed as a spoof or as a chance to get drunk. As a film, however...0/5