Crackerjack in potential could have been one of the better Die Hard clones. For starters it features decent actors like Christopher Plummer, Natassja Kinski and Thomas Ian Griffith. Say what you want about the guy, he does have a presence and martial arts skills to boot. Problem is that he is let down by uneven pace and badly choreographed action scenes. I almost was inclined to say that the story is average also but to be honest for this type of movie it does rather well. At least we get an explanation for the title and what our main character Jack is capable off. Only problem is that apart from the first twenty minutes we don't see him losing his cool. (I personally would have loved to see this character go ballistic on the villains. It would have made Jack a lot more interesting and more fitting to the title. I mean why use the name and what it stands for as a title if nothing is being done with it.) And therefore I think it is a real shame that not more effort has been put in the action scenes. Because let's face it. The majority of the viewers watch these kinds of movies for the action and not something else. Then there is Christopher Plummer. What in the hell is he doing here? I liked it that he did not ham it up as much as other actors of his caliber would have done. Still he seemed very much out of place. Also he seemed very tame for a character that was declared insane. This film was begging for a little outrageous craziness. Despite all of this I found myself enjoying Crackerjack for the most part. You kept rooting for Jack as the unwanted hero trying to do good as much as he can even when he is deeply troubled. As a Die Hard clone though I think it fails to capture the thrills and real excitement that keep you on the edge of the seat. One to watch late at night or on a rainy Sunday afternoon.
Also read:
Review Excessive Force (1993)
Also read:
Review Excessive Force (1993)
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