Hands down the best film ever based on a TV series, THE FUGITIVE is a wonder thriller that combines nice action with original characters.
Dr. Richard Kimble (Harrison Ford, RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK) has been convicted of murdering his wife. He claims to be innocent and that a one-armed man did the crime. As a result of an amazing action sequence involving a prison bus and a train, Kimble escapes and sets out to find out more about the one-armed man. Meanwhile, U.S. marshals led by Samuel Gerard (Tommy Lee Jones, MEN IN BLACK) take over the mission to recapture Kimble.
The true originality of the script is with Gerard. Unlike a typical cat-and-mouse capper, this film develops Gerard as a determined and no-nonsense man just doing his job. He’s not portrayed as a villain out to get Kimble. He’s a fully developed character.
The screenplay follows the details of Kimble’s search for answers and the many risks he is willing to take to discover the truth. The tension is natural and derives from the actions of the characters not from arbitrary problems added by the plot.
Director Andrew Davis proves a skilled action director, having previously made Steven Seagal’s best film UNDER SIEGE and later helming the well-reviewed family film, HOLES. The film also features good supporting work from Sela Ward (DAY AFTER TOMORROW) as Kimble’s wife Helen, Julianne Moore (FAR FROM HEAVEN) as a doctor Kimble runs into, Joe Pantoliano (THE MATRIX) as one of the other marshals and Andreas Katsulas (TV’s BABYLON 5) as Frederick Sykes, Kimble’s best friend. Writer David Twohy would go on to write and direct PITCH BLACK and THE CHRONCILES OF RIDDICK. All around this is a tight, thrilling and often funny action flick that doesn’t talk down to the viewer as it’s twisting and turning to its conclusion.
Rick DeMott
Animation World Network
Creator of Rick's Flicks Picks
