No Way Out

This film is a taut thriller and has a very good pairing of Kevin Costner and Gene Hackman in a story of a cover-up and murder. Sean Young is the tragic figure who falls for Costner and sets in motion the wheels that make this picture one of the best of its type. Plot twists and suspense are highlighted by great acting, and as the cover-up unravels, Costner finds himself in increasing danger in the halls of the Pentagon. Will Patton and George Dzunda are solid in support of the leads although Patton is a bit over the top as Hackman's attack dog. This fine film is marred by an ending that doesn't connect with the film's plot or pulse and gives the picture an awkward, unsatisfying conclusion. Costner is the hero but it is Hackman who makes this picture as good as it is.

"No Way Out" is one of the most original, suspenseful, tightly-knit thrillers ever made, comparable to John Frankenheimer's "Seven Days in May". Set in the Cold War era, Gene Hackman plays the Secretary of Defense, a married man obsessed with his mistress, the exquisitely beautiful Sean Young...as is her other secret lover, Costner, a Naval Admiral who is the C.I.A.'s Liaison. When Hackman accidentally kills Young in a jealous rage, a cover-up begins to find the notorious, never-seen Russian mole "Yuri" who works within the Pentagon, and to frame him for the murder. Costner is commanded to oversee the operation, and the action begins...and is sustained with the intensity of a race on the Autobahn. The amazing all-star cast also features Will Patton, George Dzunda, Iman and David Paymer. Costner delivers what is perhaps his most subtle performance. What distinguishes "No Way Out" is its brilliant plotting, tautness, and constant surprises...with the ending being the most deliriously mind-blowing surprise of all.

Watching "No Way Out" is like reading a dime store pulp novel: it doesn't really amount to much in the end, but there are twists and turns aplenty to keep you interested and engaged. Fortunately, a wonderful cast helps this pulpy thriller remain somewhat memorable in the annals of film.

For a very basic overview, "No Way Out" tells the story of Tom Farrell (Kevin Costner), a naval officer who is romancing Susan Atwell (Sean Young). The problem? Tom's boss--Secretary of Defense David Brice (Gene Hackman)--is also "involved" with Ms. Atwell and responsible for her death. This sets off a cat-and-mouse coverup scheme as Farrell and Brice both try to resolve the situation.

As previously mentioned, there are quite a few plot machinations that get thrown at "No Way Out" viewers. If they are all truly scrutinized, they don't hold up to much--if any--logic. As such, this film was never going to be any sort of all-time classic. That being said, there are three aspects that director Roger Donaldson and writers Kenneth Fearing & Robert Garland have going for them here...

First, the combination of Costner (in between his Bull Durham & Field of Dreams roles), Hoosiers-era Hackman, and an almost impossibly young Will Patton could make just about anything watchable. The chemistry between those three stalwarts (plus a vivacious Young) alone is worth the price of admission.

Secondly, "No Way Out" is sort of a "ticking clock" of suspense and tension. It seems as if everything is a race to grab some piece of information or individual before someone else gets to him/her, which makes it so that the proceedings are never dull or bland. It also features technology that, while laughably out-of-date now, was cutting edge in the late-80s.

Finally, a whopper of a surprise ending is completely and utterly ludicrous, yet so out-of-left-field that it actually works well amidst all the other pulp in "No Way Out". One of those situations where you sort of know the ending is ridiculous, yet it doesn't rankle because that is largely the name of the game all the way through.

Overall, watching "No Way Out" is a bit of a wild experience no matter how you slice it. I'd never give it a cent over 7/10 stars, but if you can turn the plot-based, analytical part of your brain off and just ride the rollercoaster--while enjoying some actors at the top or beginning of their games--it can be enjoyed.

No Way Out is a political thriller about a man who is hired to work for the Secretary of Defense, but he finds himself in a sticky situation that could lead to him being accused of treason and subsequently being killed. I do enjoy tense thrillers where the hero is stuck in a difficult position and has to continuously avoid being caught. They constantly keep you on your toes, and I love those moments where you don't know what he can do next. There were several times that I felt his way of stalling the inevitable in this film was a bit cheesy and unrealistic, but within the logic of the film it worked well enough. For the sake of avoiding spoilers I won't delve into how much more the logic breaks down by the end, but needless to say this isn't exactly the smartest movie I've ever seen, but that didn't stop the thrilling aspects from being fun to watch.

What was less fun to watch was about the first 30 minutes or more of the film. This movie takes its time in setting things up, and exploring the romance between Kevin Costner and Sean Young. This kind of graphic detail isn't necessary for me, and I was starting to wonder if I was watching the right movie since it felt more like a romantic drama. There are certainly moments throughout all this courting that are important because they come back as things that might reveal the truth about Costner, but I didn't need the amount of time they spent detailing the romance just for those few small pieces of information. Once the inciting incident occurred, and the actual story got rolling, I had some good fun with No Way Out, I only wish they got us there sooner. No Way Out is still a decent movie, and one I might watch again to see how the story is changed by knowing how it ends.

The last quarter drags on a little too long, and the characters and their decisions often seem unrealistically erratic, but it all comes together in the end. I was surprised this movie was able to pay off so well. The finale comes out of nowhere, but it provides the plot and main character some depth.

Music is corny though. Some of it sounds like it was made for a bad '80s TV show. That's my lone complaint.