The Last Boy Scout: Underrated or Just Plain Nasty?

Okay, so I just re-watched "The Last Boy Scout" (1991), and I'm still wrestling with it. Look, Shane Black's dialogue is undeniably sharp. That opening scene with Billy Cole (Billy Blanks) losing it on the field? Brutal and darkly funny. And Bruce Willis is... well, Bruce Willis being Bruce Willis. Cynical, world-weary, but ultimately has a sliver of decency buried deep down. Damon Wayans surprised me too; he actually holds his own against Willis's star power. But the violence, man. Even for an R-rated action flick from the early 90s, it's excessive. I get that it's trying to be satirical, maybe even commenting on the desensitization to violence in modern society, but sometimes it just feels gratuitous. The whole undercurrent of sexual violence, especially towards Cory (Halle Berry), made me genuinely uncomfortable. Was it really necessary to push it THAT far to establish the depravity of Sheldon Marcone (Chelcie Ross) and his crew? Or was Black just trying to shock us? And that ending? Exploding football field and a quippy one-liner? It felt tonally disconnected from the grittier, more cynical tone of the rest of the film. Did the filmmakers just run out of ideas or did they feel pressure to deliver a more 'Hollywood' ending? I'm torn between appreciating the sharp writing and being completely turned off by the over-the-top nastiness. Anyone else feel this way, or am I just being overly sensitive? Finally, am I the only one who thinks that Joe, the guy who sells Joe Hallenbeck the "protection", is actually Joe himself? That would really add to the depth of the character, which is the only thing that "The Last Boy Scout" is missing. If you think about it...it would make total sense.