Hard Rain (1998)

a film so unique, intoxicating and bizarre that it not only demands another viewing, but is also forgivable as a satirical comedy where the jokes eventually take the back seat.

The thing I enjoyed most about the film is the fact that it doesn't shy away from being a super-sized-cliche;

Close shines in drama with strong language, adult themes.

This is a gorgeous movie made by a gorgeous spirit.

The plot is completely unbelievable! It is beyond a suspension of belief. The action is good and suspenseful. Morgan Freeman and Christian Slater are good actors. The best part is the background . How they were able to film it and make it seem so real is impressive! That alone was the reason I continued watching it to the end.

This silly, waterlogged thriller is a little bit different from the usual fare as it manages to mix and match two genres: the disaster movie, in this case the rapidly flooding town, and the more typical thriller, in this case a gang of robbers out for money. The trouble with the film is that it's very superficial, all style over substance, and there is hardly any plot - the characters are introduced, and the action begins.Still, sometimes it's nice to sit back and disengage the brain, and this film is perfect for exactly that. Nothing ever gets too complicated, and the emphasis is on visual spectacle instead of storytelling. There are indeed some good special effects in the film in terms of the rising flood waters, and I hate to think of all the trouble that the makers must have gone to in building all the flooded sets. The best moments in the film come when characters manage to become trapped in flooding areas - Driver gets handcuffed to a banister, Slater locked in a prison cell - and strive to stay alive. These bits are clever and pretty exciting.One problem I did have was with the violence level. There isn't much of one. This feels like a 12 certificate film, apart from a few moments in which people get shot and blood sprays out of them. Now, this is too little bloodshed for seasoned action fans, and yet too much for children, so it's difficult to determine the target audience. The acting is pretty much varied. Christian Slater looks to be enjoying himself in the brief stint he had as an action hero, while Morgan Freeman shows us that he can't help to be a good guy even when he's essentially bad, just like in CHAIN REACTION. Randy Quaid once again goes over the top as a psychotic sheriff, while Minnie Driver is a tough, likable heroine. Edward Asner fills the role of a crusty old man very well, but the supporting cast is full of clichéd characters and stereotypes.There are some fun moments: a race against time to stop getting electrocuted, a chase through the flooded halls of a school, and an unexpected plot twist, but in the end this film fails because it's played for laughs a bit too much. As a straight action film it could have been a lot better. Still, if you're looking for thrills you could do worse.

Disclaimer: If you are a viewer that mainly prefers art-house-type movies, then you might as well ignore this review. In addition, if you're not able to take a an underrated incredible Christian Slater's solid action heist classic flick, ignore this review, as well. We'll both be better off.Hard Rain (1998) is a classic! An underrated incredible disaster action heist film from the 90's and one of the best Christian Slater's movies. My top 2 Christian Slater movies are Broken Arrow (1996) and this one Hard Rain (1998), which Christian Slater started and co produced him self. I love this flick and it is my favorite action flick! It is far way better than Stallone's Daylight (1996) which that disaster movie sucked and I hate it! Hard Rain is an pure action heist flick in which a gang of thieves try's to rob an armored car in which are $3.000.000 cared in the truck. An armored car driver Tom (Christian Slater) has to run for his life and hide the money from the thieves, because they killed his partner who was also his uncle and now they will kill him too, if he doesn't hide the money. The movie has a great cast, great score, decent performances and all round very entertaining. I love the score from Christopher Young in the opening scene the main theme. I love that the film shows flood and rain's and it is also entertaining filled with action. I think Hard Rain and Deep Rising which both come out the same year are both underrated action flicks that I love them.Plot: The setting is the food-ravaged, evacuated town of Huntingburg, where armored car driver Tom (Slater) is in deep danger. A gang of thieves (led by Freeman) figures the flood is its chance to heist the $3 million Tom's transporting from local banks. But there's one thing the gun-carrying criminals don't count on - Tom. Come hell, high water or both, he's determined to deliver the money entrusted to him. But before he does, he'll have to survive a relentless pursuit filled with close calls, ever-rising waters, uncertain loyalties and heart-stopping heroics.Get swept up in the action as Morgan Freeman, Christian Slater, Randy Quaid and Minnie Driver race against time and the elements in this high-energy thrill ride where survival and money are the core of it all. I love Christian slater in this movie and I seriously love his character Tom, just like his character Capt. Riley Hale from Broken Arrow, his character Tom is also heroic character well written. He wasn't selfish he was a real hero alongside with John McClane (Bruce Willis) Die Hard (1988) they are both a heroic characters. I love how Tom tried to help that young boy Kenny ( Michael A. Goorjian) from been electrocuted in the water, he came back for Karen (Minnie Driver) when she was handcuffed in the fence, up in the stairs, his character was decent and honest human been and he tried to return the money. I love the chase sequences in a high school in a jet skies. I like Minnie Driver as Karen her character also wasn't selfish she also helped Tom and saved him from prison. I seriously love the scene when Tom tried to saves him self in the prison when the flood raised and he accidentally grabbed the car keys and not the cell keys and his was talking with him self ha ha.I love Morgan Freeman in this film which he was a good thieve, but he was also greedy, "Damn it I'm here for the money and that's it!" Randy Quaid was a decent villain as the greedy Sheriff Mike Collins, which he was outstanding in this flick. Director Mikael Solomon did a great directing job directing this disaster action flick. Even tough this film is a cheap because there was less actors playing in this film, it still outstanding and pure entertaining. I love it I just watched it on Blu-ray and I love it to death. This movie is actually pretty entertaining with some decent chase scenes even one involving jet skis inside a flooded high school. Morgan Freeman is good as always and one of the few bad guy/good guy roles he's had in his career. Christian Slater was decent as the main protagonist even is he was a bit generic.Very good 90's action flick that is essentially a western set in a flooded small town. There's something really cool about a movie taking place entirely in one night in the rain and the script has some terrific one liners and the cast are all excellent especially Morgan Freeman playing a bad ass thief & Randy Quaid.Overall: This flick is very underrated and for Christian Slater fan I must say, it is my favorite action flick, there are other movies he made but this one alongside with Broken Arrow is one of his best work. I love this action flick.Hard Rain (also known as The Flood) is a 1998 American/British disaster action thriller film, produced by Mark Gordon, written by Graham Yost (the writer-producer team also behind the film Speed) and directed by former cinematographer turned director Mikael Salomon.10/10 Grade: Bad Ass Seal Of Approval Studio: Paramount Pictures, PolyGram Filmed Entertainment Starring: Morgan Freeman, Christian Slater, Randy Quaid, Minnie Driver, Edward Asner, Michael Goorjian, Dann Florek, Ricky Harris, Mark Rolston, Peter Murnik, Wayne Duvall, Richard Dysart, Betty White, Ray Baker Director: Mikael Salomon Producers: Ian Bryce, Mark Gordon, Gary Levinsohn, Art Levinson, Allison Lyon Segan, Christian Slater Screenplay: Graham Yost Rated: PG-13 Running Time: 1 Hr. 37 Mins. Budget: $70.000.000 Box Office: $19,870,567

Hard Rain (1998): Dir: Mikael Solomon / Cast: Christian Slater, Morgan Freeman, Minnie Driver, Randy Quaid, Betty White: Standard action disaster film that uses its flood to complicate another conflict. A truck load of money becomes stranded in a flood and villains shoot the driver but Christian Slater escapes with the money. After hiding the loot he is pursued by the villains in speedboats. Director Mikael Solomon makes great explosive action but he isn't so lucky on the screenplay end. The actors are as stranded as the civilians. Slater does his best dodging bullets and speedboats and anything else thrown at him while struggling to stay afloat. Morgan Freeman is miscast as the villain, and since he is such a likable actor we are given a conscience. Minnie Driver plays a cop who at one point is handcuffed to a railing as water rises. Randy Quaid does what he can as the cardboard Sheriff. Even Betty White appears in this waterlogged fiasco and cannot even bring comic relief. These are decent performers at the mercy of a screenplay that does little more than drown those who do not find higher ground. Pointless disaster film that attempts to combined an action film as well but it comes off like one of those alcoholic beverages that spews upward before it hits the back of your throat. Hard Rain is plainly hard to believe. Perhaps flushing it down a toilet will render a better effect. Score: 2 / 10