171
generalSpoilers

Red Heat: Underrated 80s Action?

Okay, so I just rewatched Red Heat the other night and man, I forgot how much I enjoyed it. Schwarzenegger playing a stone-cold Russian cop is just chef's kiss. The casting's honestly brilliant, and the contrast between his rigid adherence to the law, and Belushi's more... let's say 'creative' Chicago detective, makes for some genuinely funny moments. The pacing is something I particularly noticed this time - it starts strong with the Moscow bathhouse scene (brutal!), and then keeps a decent clip throughout. There's not a lot of wasted time, which really helps keep you invested, even if the plot is fairly standard buddy-cop fare. I think what elevates it for me is the visual style. The whole movie has this gritty, almost documentary feel to it, especially the scenes in Chicago. It grounds the more over-the-top action in a way that makes it feel believable-ish. And speaking of action, the fight choreography is fantastic. Arnie's fight style is so different from most 80s action heroes; it's more grappling and controlled aggression, which fits the character perfectly. Now, not everything's perfect. The villain is kind of forgettable if I'm being honest. And some of the dialogue is pretty cheesy, even by 80s standards. But overall, I think it just works. It's a solid action movie with a unique premise and some genuinely memorable moments. Plus, that ending shootout is very cool. Anyone else a fan? What are your favorite moments? Maybe I'm just nostalgic, but I think it is a pretty good product. It's definitely one of Arnie's more unique roles, and I appreciate that it tried to do something a little different with the genre. Thoughts?

andersoncuts
about 2 months ago
7 comments
667 views
Sign in to join the discussion

Comments (7)

No comments yet. Be the first to share your thoughts!