Blackjack (TV 1998)

Dolph Lundgren plays Jack Devlin, a U.S Marshal who protects high-profile clients when it comes to a matter of security.

Director:

John Woo

Writer:

Peter Lance

Stars:

Dolph Lundgren, Kate Vernon, Phillip MacKenzie

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Dolph Lundgren	...	Jack Devlin
Kate Vernon	...	Dr. Rachel Stein
Phillip MacKenzie	...	Rory Gaines
Kam Heskin	...	Cinder James
Fred Williamson	...	Tim Hastings
Andrew Jackson	...	Don Tragle
Padraigin Murphy	...	Casey
Tony De Santis	...	Detective Trini
Albert Schultz	...	Derek Smythe
Janet Bailey	...	Connie Hastings
Saul Rubinek	...	Thomas
Peter Keleghan	...	Bobby Stern
Scott Nichol	...	Dealer
Géza Kovács	...	Kamenev (as Geza Kovacz)
Christie MacFadyen	...	Nicky Stern (as Christine MacFadyen)

Storyline

After saving Casey, a daughter of his friend, from hired assassins, Jack Devlin is hit with a strange phobia - fear of white color. But when his other friend, who works as a bodyguard for a supermodel, is wounded, Jack decides to step in for him. Now he must confront his fear and the assassin, who seems to be well aware of Jack's problem

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Plot Keywords:

fear | phobia | supermodel | bodyguard | machine gun | 

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Taglines:

The odds are deadly.

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Genres:

Action | Thriller

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for violence

Details

Country:

Canada USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

12 May 1998 (USA)

Also Known As:

John Woo's Blackjack

Filming Locations:

Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Box Office

Budget:

CAD 10,000,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Alliance Communications Corporation, Baton, USA Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

112 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby SR

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Was intended to be the pilot (first episode) of a TV series centering on Dolph Lundgren's character.

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Goofs

When we first see Jack's Jeep as he's driving Casey home, it has a license plate on the front. But as they pass through the gate, the license plate is missing.

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Quotes

Jack Devlin: Pick a card.
Cinder James: Will it tell my future?
Jack Devlin: It's just a card.

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Connections

Referenced in Making of 'Blackjack' (1998)

User Reviews

Dealers push...

Dolph Lundgren stars as Jack Devlin a bodyguard who is blinded by a flash grenade which gives him a color phobia (It gets even more ridiculous) seems Devlin is afraid of the color white and is trying to stay low while he conquers his fear. However when a supermodel is hassled by her psychotic ex-husband it is only Devlin that can protect her from certain death in this made for television movie which is slightly more watchable than Woo's other TV movie bomb but basically suffers from too much length and lack of grip on the subplots which overwhelm Blackjack's overall story. Blackjack is along the line of "Do you think we can fit one more subplot to the other 7000 ones, Let's see how it works!" There is of course the color phobia, Lundgren being a new parent, the homoeroticism between Lundgren and Rubinek, the supermodel and her psycho ex,The bad guy being a failed actor, the supermodel addicted to prescription drugs, his best friend's injury, the friend's company which is taken over, the parents of the little girl who die under mysterious circumstances, Lundgren's shrink and Lundgren's tragic past. That is like five more subplots than the movie needs and really Woo cannot make it work, especially when there is too much going on. Still Blackjack has it's moments. The action sequences while watered down for Television consumption has it's degree of punch and Lundgren gives a not too shabby performance. Certainly better than you would expect but really this is only for curious John Woo fans who want to see him make a Hong Kong styled TV movie. It is a combo that doesn't work but at least it isn't because of lack of trying.

* * out of 4-(Fair)