Dead Bang (1989)

Director:

John Frankenheimer

Writers (WGA):

Jerry Beck (story)
Robert Foster (screenplay)

Release Date:

24 March 1989 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Thriller | Crime | Drama

Tagline:

For one cop this isn't just a case. It's a war.

Plot:

A cop is gunned down on Xmas eve. Jerry Beck, the homicide cop given the job of hunting the killer,...

Plot Keywords:

Cop | Los Angeles | White Supremacy | Death | Shot In The Head

Cast

Don Johnson	...	Jerry Beck
Penelope Ann Miller	...	Linda Kimble
William Forsythe	...	Arthur Kressler
Bob Balaban	...	Elliott Webley
Frank Military	...	Bobby Burns
Tate Donovan	...	John Burns
Antoni Stutz	...	Ray
Mickey Jones	...	Sleepy
Ron Campbell	...	Crossfield
William Traylor	...	Chief Elton Tremmel
Hy Anzell	...	Captain Waxman
Michael Jeter	...	Dr. Krantz
Tim Reid	...	Chief Dixon
James B. Douglas	...	Agent Gilroy
Brad Sullivan	...	Chief Hillard

Also Known As:

Dead-Bang (USA) (poster title)

Runtime:

102 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Iceland:16 | USA:R (certificate #29434) | Netherlands:12 | Argentina:18 | Finland:K-16 | Norway:18 | Sweden:15 | Australia:M

Filming Locations:

Calgary, Alberta, Canada

Company:

Lorimar Film Entertainment

Quotes:

Elliott Webley: If I were you I'd give AA some thought. Alcoholism is a disease, you know.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Resident Alien (1990)

Anything but a dead bang....

Another one of those TV stars who moved into movies this sadly has been put alongside with Caruso's JADE but on closer inspection all movies are not that bad..... Dead Bang is a fairly run of the mill cop against bad guys type thing but what takes it out of the run of the mill is the direction from Frankenheimer & the star turn from Johnson. Johnson gives a great performance as the stressed cop,we can see the frustration in Beck's life either doing his job or trying to see his kids,his acting is done very well & not over the top..in particular the xmas morning bust Beck makes..the start of the scene we see the alcoholic sweats to later on being sick all over the suspect. The supporting cast however do not raise their game to give the support Johnson needs with William Forsythe in particular giving a completely wooden performance which is surprizing as he has been so much better.

The action scenes are handled very well indeed...The gunfights(are they're are a few) are not to Hollywood for my liking.

On the whole a very enjoyable movie & it shows that Don Johnson should have been a movie star.