Dead Bang (1989)

Lack of good storyline.

A brilliant film that helped define a genre

A great movie, one of the best of this year. There was a bit of confusion at one point in the plot, but nothing serious.

True to its essence, the characters remain on the same line and manage to entertain the viewer, each highlighting their own distinctive qualities or touches.

I write this commentary because I'm surprised of the low rate that people gave to this movie. I repeat: I give this film a 9! Allow me to say that is a John Frankenheimer's film. I mean, all his movies are great! This one is funny, but a serious film, with an excellent plot, good dialogs, all the actors -his performances- are very credible, an intrigue that keeps you interested about what is going to happen next, suspense, action scenes very well filmed, even at least two moments of fine humor. All these elements provides a 9/10 points and elevate this film to another category. It's not a B realization. Even more, the story about a sect of fanatic racist people which exists in real life (not this one in particular, but there are hundreds of them in the United States), so it gives to the film a particular point of view about this sad reality. It almost can be watched as a documentary. Very good film, it's been edited in DVD. Don't loose the opportunity to watch it! And also with all the others movies of John Frankenheimer, take a look of his list as director. All excellent

What kind of mentality writes this stuff? As much as I like Don Johnson and enjoy seeing him, I thought this story was pitiful. A handful of local cops with one FBI agent go after a compound of white supremacists? Yeah sure. Feds would have been there with tanks and flame throwers and snipers and an army of shooters. Grrr The writers or producers must have had an agenda. They don't seem to see too clearly. When you feel like you are being manipulated, you may be. I would like to see a more truthful, more balanced presentation of this subject. I haven't read the story in its original form, and it could be that the producers have messed with the story until it is one-sided beyond belief.

Don Johnson is pretty decent in this (and I'm a fan), though you could see the whole idea was to take the Crockett character from Miami Vice and make him a down-and-outer, to take away all the expensive trappings he had on Miami Vice.The biggest plot hole is that the bad guy kills a cop at the beginning of the movie, pretty much on Christmas Eve. Yet there is no big mobilization of the LA police force to catch the killer, just Beck going after him alone. In every other movie I've ever seen, and pretty much in real life, if a cop is killed in cold blood like this character was, every cop is going to be after the killer.Then, when the rural OK sheriff's cars are shot up with automatic weapons, and the downtown is blown up in a huge shootout with the bad guys, again, no-one really seems to interested. Not the LA police force, not the FBI that much. Usually these kind of egregious acts of violence get pretty big play in the media and with law enforcement types. So that whole premise was rather hard to swallow, although it says it's based on a true story.Interesting cameo by the porno star Ron Jeremy as one of the bikers. Several of the cast were on Miami Vice at one time or another.

Excellent direction as usual from John Frankenheimer. This movie gives you more than enough action and bang for your buck. Don Johnson is a homicide cop that stretches the rules; drinks too much; sleeps too little; is crude; foul mouthed and absolutely great. On Xmas morning, Johnson starts his trek to find a cop killer that is associated with a White Supremacy group. This hard headed cop follows his suspect to Oklahoma and Colorado before all hell breaks loose. On the trail of Johnson is a pansy, but arrogant FBI agent played by William Forsythe. Johnson gets help when he needs it from Tim Reid and his police department. Very entertaining and sometimes comical fact-based story from Jerry Beck.Penelope Ann Miller provides the all too short sexual content. Wow, what a charmer. And Michael Jeter plays a shrink that resembles Woody Allen.Have never really been a Don Johnson fan; but this role is a hell of a lot better than his TV Miami Vice persona. This is a non-stop attention grabber.