There are two sides to every war. And John Smith is on both of them

Last Man Standing
Mob hit-man, John Smith was just trying to find a place to lay low for a few days when he chanced upon a small dead-end town known as Jericho. Upon his arrival, he discovers two rival gangs in a desperate turf war. Smith aligns himself firmly between the two and sets about helping each destroy the other.

Bruce Willis stars in this action packed drama set in the prohibition era town of Jericho, Texas.

Playing the part he seems to have been born into, Willis is the man who happens to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. After inadvertently stumbling into a gangland war in this dust bowl town, Willis decides to make a few dollars off the rival gangs. Playing one side against the other, Willis manages to not only profit, but begins to enjoy the venture....

Ok.. this is one of those movies I would have to list as a "guilty pleasure " movie. What I mean by this is there aren't any award winning performances being turned in here. Let's face it, this is a shoot 'em movie from the word "go". But, if you are looking for a "Die Hard" type performance from Willis, then this movie is sure to not disappoint!

Willis is gritty and hard in the role of John Smith. Neither a good guy nor a bad guy, he still somehow makes you end up rooting for him in the end. His nemesis in this movie, Hickey, is played equally well by a very menacing Christopher Walken. Hickey truly showcases Walkin's ability to play the most vile and evil of characters.

The action scenes are fast and furious, leaving very little time for the viewer to breath. Although they do seem to have clips that hold 30 or 40 rounds and rarely reload, they still generate much excitement. (And hey, isn't that all we are really looking for in a film of this genre?)

Dep's Final Take

"You can know the rules and still do the wrong thing."

John Smith (Bruce Willis)

When I first heard of this movie, I thought it was just another shoot-em-up flick. I thought there would be nothing original about the plot, or the ending would be predictable. Let the record show...I was WRONG...

This movie ROCKED!! Bruce Willis, more guns than the law allows, Bruce Willis, two rival gangs, Bruce Willis, action, action, action, and did I mention...Bruce Willis?!? Who doesn't love a good Bruce Willis movie? I have not had as much enjoyment since Die Hard. Lots of guns, lots of shooting, and adrenaline by the buckets.

Bruce wasn't the only one in this movie that impressed me. I was impressed by how cold and calculating the character Hickey was (played by Christopher Walken). I have not seen Mr. Waken do a character so cold, so vile, so evil. Make an Oscar just for action movies, and give him one for "Best Villain."

Rated R for violence, sexual situations, and brief nudity, this movie isn't for the faint hearted or for the kids. Now if you want to try and figure out how Smith manages to take out a truckload of bad guys with two guns he hardly ever reloads, check this movie out. Go rent it, go buy it, get a bootleg copy...uh never mind.

Zero's Final Take

Reviews

X-Men (September 2000)

Galaxy Quest (August 2000)

Falling Down (July 2000)

Last Man Standing (June 2000)