Themes: Out For Revenge, Cons and Scams, Going Undercover
Main Cast: Wesley Snipes, Dennis Hopper, Lolita Davidovich, Viggo Mortensen, Dan Hedaya
Release Year: 1993
Country: US/FR
Run Time: 93 minutes
MPAA Rating: R
Plot
The boiling point is mighty low in this tepid action programmer. Wesley Snipes plays Jimmy Mercer, a Treasury agent whose sting operation goes bad. Engineered by Ronnie (Viggo Mortensen), a dull-witted but sadistic ex-con, the operation not only fails, but one of Jimmy's colleagues is killed by Ronnie in the process. As punishment, Jimmy is exiled to Newark, where he is given seven days to find the man responsible for the death of the officer. Meanwhile, slimy con-man Red (Dennis Hopper) has Ronnie deceived into thinking that Mercer is a big-time crook with influential connections. Red does this to enlist Ronnie's aid to participate in a third-rate crime spree. When Ronnie and Red begin their two-man crime wave, Jimmy is in relentless pursuit behind them. ~ Paul Brenner, All Movie Guide
Russell J. Smith - Art Director, Rusty Smith - Art Director, Patrick Beaufront - Co-producer, Molly Maginnis - Costume Designer, James B. Harris - Director, Jerry Brady - Editor, Anthony Spano - Editor, John D'Andrea - Composer (Music Score), Cory Lerios - Composer (Music Score), Ron Foreman - Production Designer, King Baggot - Cinematographer, Rexford Metz - Cinematographer, David L. Butler - Cinematographer, Leonardo de la Fuente - Producer, Philippe Maigret - Producer, Marc Frydman - Producer, Ralph L. Thomas - Producer, Lou Carlucci - Special Effects, A. Michael Lerner - Stunts, Rhino Michaels - Stunts, Mary Peters - Stunts, George Wilbur - Stunts, Orwin Harvey - Stunts, Fred Lerner - Stunts, John Moio - Stunts, Chuck Waters - Stunts, J. Mark Donaldson - Stunts, James B. Harris - Screenwriter, Gerald Petievich - Book Author
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This film opens with police officer Jimmy Mercer (Wesley Snipes) and his partner (Dan Hedaya) doing some undercover work, when Mercer's partner is shot and killed by a new man (Viggo Mortensen) that criminal Red Diamond (Dennis Hopper) pulled out of jail. Now on a snap of anger and thoughts of revenge, Mercer wants to find the killer and take him down before he gets transferred to another precinct. Although a cop and close colleague claims over dinner that Mercer must do it "by the book," Mercer replies that "when I'm done with this mother-fucker, I'm gonna put him in a box..... by the book."
Red continues to try to go on a relationship with one of his old girlfriends but is shot-down. Through explosions and action, Mercer's temper rises with the suspense.
At a club which Mercer is at(at the same time as Mortensen and Hopper), Diamond's new man pulls-out his gun on the 2nd floor, to which Mercer quickly reacts by unloading all six rounds of his snubnose .38 into Mortensen. Red is arrested. Justice is served.
