Wedlock (1991)

Strong and Moving!

At first rather annoying in its heavy emphasis on reenactments, this movie ultimately proves fascinating, simply because the complicated, highly dramatic tale it tells still almost defies belief.

All of these films share one commonality, that being a kind of emotional center that humanizes a cast of monsters.

Mostly, the movie is committed to the value of a good time.

Amiable electronics wizard Frank Warren (a fine and likeable performance by the always reliable Rutger Hauer) gets sent to a futuristic unisex prison in the wake of masterminding a diamond heist. In said prison Frank is given an electric collar that will explode if he goes 100 yards away from sassy fellow inmate Tracy Riggs (winningly played with considerable spunky charm by Mimi Rogers). The pair escape from prison only to be pursued by Frank's duplicitous partners Noelle (Joan Chen having the wicked time of her life) and Sam (an amusingly lunkheaded James Remar). Director Lewis Teague keeps the engrossing and entertaining story zipping along at a brisk pace, maintains an engaging tongue-in-cheek tone throughout, and stages the thrilling action set pieces with skill and flair. Broderick Miller's clever script provides several neat oddball touches and well-drawn characters. The spiky chemistry between Hauer and Rogers along with their sharp and funny bickering gives this picture an extra invigorating spark. Stephen Tobolowsky practically steals the show with his deliciously slimy turn as the sadistic Warden Holliday. Moreover, there are sound supporting contributions from Basil Wallace as vicious trustee Emerald, Grand L. Bush as the easygoing Jasper, Glenn Plummer as the laid-back Teal, and Dennis Forrest as the wormy Puce. Danny Trejo has a small role as an ill-fated felon. Both Dietrich Lohmann's slick cinematography and the lively score by Richard Gibbs are up to par. A total blast.

I first saw the start of this on TV as an 11 year old in 1995 and unfortunately did not get the chance to finish it. I didn't see it again on TV nor was I able to locate it on home video. Fast forward 13 years later to 2008, I managed to locate a rare copy of this on DVD and was very eager to watch this movie. By the end, I was extremely disappointed at how atrocious the movie was. The entire movie resembled something that was aimed towards children under 13 years. The film looked very promising, but the end result was really bad. The film felt very derivative and plot ideas thrown in were extremely lame. Rutger Hauer of Blade Runner and The Hitcher fame deserved a lot better, as does Mimi Rogers (Tom Cruise's ex-wife), Joan Chen (On Deadly Ground) and James Remar (48 Hrs.). Stephen Tobolowsky (Ned Ryerson from Groundhog Day) was very unconvincing as the hard nosed prison warden.The whole movie resembled a live action cartoon filled with very lame ideas. A total waste of a movie.1/10.

I love Rutger Hauer. He is a cool and funny actor that isn't afraid to get his hands wet and try anything out of the ordinary.Wedlock isn't one of his stranger ones, but it is definitely one of his best!Set in the near future, Rutger joins Mimi Rodgers at a new top security prison that straps bombs to prisoners necks (much like Battle Royale) so they can't escape.Each prisoner is 'wedlocked' to another so that if one blows, the other soon follows!With Mimi by his side, Rutger and co-star go on an adventure that sends them in search of the object that got him imprisoned in the first place... $25 million worth of diamonds.With the bad guys hot on the heels, things start to go a little 'Fletch' at times with some great action scenes, hilarious one liners and more.The film is great entertainment and one I had wished I watched earlier!

Rutger Hauer can't carry a film as a leading man, he just can't; and he gets found out and looks utterly ridiculous at times. That he was doing films of this type only bears fruit to my statement, but that is not to say he hasn't been in fun action films, because he has, and this one has its moments......just.An interesting premise is what holds the film together, it is pure sci-fi hokum, and it is the kind of plot that keeps you interested even tho you really know what the outcome is going to be. A series of decent set pieces entertain, and there are little slices of humour to cement the daftness unfolding. The supporting cast fare no better than Hauer with Mimi Rogers hopelessly miscast as the tough Female lead, tho for the red blooded Male it has to be said she has one of the finest bottoms in cinema!! Surprisingly wasted is the talent of Stephen Tobolowsky, whilst James Remar is playing to his type as the grizzly baddie.All in all it just about rates average, but Blade Runner and The Hitcher seem a million miles away now. 5/10