Exploitation films are a hit and miss genre within film. You get the ones that are on point with what they are trying to accomplish and others that miss the mark. In the case of Rolling Thunder you have a exploitation/revenge style movie that snuck itself into the theaters through MGM and darn if it isn't one of the coolest movies of its kind I've ever seen.
The pic stars William Devane (of Knots Landing fame) and Tommy Lee Jones as 2 Vietnam POWs brought back from their imprisonment. A celebration of sorts ensues for Devane's character Charles Rane in his home town as he is gave silver dollars that numbered the amount of days he was in captivity as well as the keys to a new car. Unfortunately being how evil men are in films of this kind a crew of baddies break into his house, steal his coins and slaughter his family. Did I not mention that he also gets his right hand grind up in a garbage disposal as well. Welcome home Charles!!!
Shore enough with some help of a local girl who has the hots for him and his ol' buddy Johnny Vohden and his new found prosthetic hook hand he goes out seeking vengeance which is fully realized in its final violent finally. This movie really hits a home run for me in several areas. First the characters are so well fleshed out for a movie of its kind. You feel for Charles as he comes home to find his wife is with another man now. You also feel for him as he tries to start a relationship again with a son that hardly knows him.
Not just Charles but his wife, his son even the guy who stepped in while he was away...I never really seen this amount of detail and emotion in such a movie. Enough of the sissy stuff though the highlight of this film is its suttle dark humor at times (hollywood take note) and the all to brief scenes with Johnny (Tommy Lee Jones character). Johnny has a way of being more than ready to kill people that comes off as so "normal" for him that you will get a kick out of it. Let alone his family which are just a tad "odd" as you will see.
What else can I throw at you, hook stabbing, gun blasting and all around sinister characters make this a must-see movie. Other than more screen time for Jones character there is really not anything to complain about with this one as I give "Rolling Thunder": 8/10: Very Good: high violence and cool characters make this a must see for anyone interested in revenge movies or just a well put together film in general.
Sadly this movie has no DVD release at this time...MGM needs to get on the ball with this ASAP in a Special Edition of some type. Regardless rent this or find a boot of this one as it is worth every Silver Dollar!!!
The pic stars William Devane (of Knots Landing fame) and Tommy Lee Jones as 2 Vietnam POWs brought back from their imprisonment. A celebration of sorts ensues for Devane's character Charles Rane in his home town as he is gave silver dollars that numbered the amount of days he was in captivity as well as the keys to a new car. Unfortunately being how evil men are in films of this kind a crew of baddies break into his house, steal his coins and slaughter his family. Did I not mention that he also gets his right hand grind up in a garbage disposal as well. Welcome home Charles!!!
Shore enough with some help of a local girl who has the hots for him and his ol' buddy Johnny Vohden and his new found prosthetic hook hand he goes out seeking vengeance which is fully realized in its final violent finally. This movie really hits a home run for me in several areas. First the characters are so well fleshed out for a movie of its kind. You feel for Charles as he comes home to find his wife is with another man now. You also feel for him as he tries to start a relationship again with a son that hardly knows him.
Not just Charles but his wife, his son even the guy who stepped in while he was away...I never really seen this amount of detail and emotion in such a movie. Enough of the sissy stuff though the highlight of this film is its suttle dark humor at times (hollywood take note) and the all to brief scenes with Johnny (Tommy Lee Jones character). Johnny has a way of being more than ready to kill people that comes off as so "normal" for him that you will get a kick out of it. Let alone his family which are just a tad "odd" as you will see.
What else can I throw at you, hook stabbing, gun blasting and all around sinister characters make this a must-see movie. Other than more screen time for Jones character there is really not anything to complain about with this one as I give "Rolling Thunder": 8/10: Very Good: high violence and cool characters make this a must see for anyone interested in revenge movies or just a well put together film in general.
Sadly this movie has no DVD release at this time...MGM needs to get on the ball with this ASAP in a Special Edition of some type. Regardless rent this or find a boot of this one as it is worth every Silver Dollar!!!