Shoot to Kill (1988)

An F.B.I. Agent teams up with a tracker to pursue a murderer after he vanishes into the mountains and infiltrates a hiking group.

Director:

Roger Spottiswoode

Writers:

Harv Zimmel (story), Harv Zimmel (screenplay)

Stars:

Sidney Poitier, Tom Berenger, Kirstie Alley

2 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Sidney Poitier	...	Warren Stantin
Tom Berenger	...	Jonathan Knox
Kirstie Alley	...	Sarah Rennell
Clancy Brown	...	Steve
Richard Masur	...	Norman
Andrew Robinson	...	Harvey
Kevin Scannell	...	Ben
Frederick Coffin	...	Ralph
Michael MacRae	...	Fournier
Robert Lesser	...	Minelli
Milton Selzer	...	Mr. Berger
Les Lannom	...	Sheriff Arnett
Walter Marsh	...	Sam Baker
Frank C. Turner	...	Crilly
Sam Hiona	...	Inspector Hsu (as Samuel Hiona)

Storyline

Sidney Poitier returned to the big screen in this action-thriller, after a decade-long absence. When a cunning murderer vanishes into the rugged mountains of the Pacific Northwest, pursuing FBI agent Warren Stantin (Poitier) must exchange familiar city streets for unknown wilderness trails. Completely out of his element, Stantin is forced to enlist the aid of expert tracker Jonathan Knox (PLATOON'S Tom Berenger). The killer has infiltrated a guided hiking trip led by Knox's girlfriend Sarah (Kirstie Alley, at the height of her Cheers fame). Viewers don't know which of the hikers is the killer, and the tension lasts well into the movie.

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Plot Keywords:

fishing trip | shootout | on the run | investigation | woods | 

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Taglines:

Into a place no one has ever been, two men will track a killer no one has ever seen.

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Genres:

Action | Adventure | Crime | Drama | Thriller

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Certificate:

R

Did You Know?

Trivia

In the ferry boat confrontation, Stanton is seen aiming his handgun with only his left eye. Sidney Poitier is strongly left-eye dominant, but he is right handed, often called cross-eye dominant.

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Goofs

A red dot is visible on the muzzle of the gun when Stantin shoots Steve.

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Quotes

Warren Stantin: [after he has dragged Knox up a cliff with a rope] Do you mountainmen do this kind of shit a lot?
Jonathan Knox: Every damn day!

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Connections

Featured in American Masters: Sidney Poitier: One Bright Light (2000)

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Soundtracks

I Love A Parade
Lyrics by Ted Koehler
Music by Harold Arlen
Courtesy of Warner Bros. Music

User Reviews

A triumph!

I would just like to start off this review by giving Sidney Poitier the recognition he deserves. He is most definitely one of the most distinguished and talented actors of our generation and a role model for all aspiring actors! Now, on with the review. I first saw this movie during a vacation to the beach with my friend and his family. I had seen several other Poitier efforts such as "In the Heat of the Night" and "Guess Who's Coming to Dinner?",and I stumbled upon this thriller while watching television on one of the nights that it rained. I stopped at TBS and I'm certainly glad that I did! This movie is one of best Poitier movies I've ever viewed! This film incorporates comedy into a genre the usually takes itself a little too seriously. The movie has an overall seriousness about it, but there are a few cheeky moments between Poitier and Berenger. Some of these comedic moments include: a scene where Berenger and Poitier are in an ice tunnel during a snow storm. Berenger is laying on top of Poitier to keep him from freezing to death. Poitier asks something like : "What are you queer or something?!" and Berenger says something like: "What's the matter? Haven't you ever heard about us mountain boys?" Another funny moment comes when Poitier is trying to scale a wall even though he is exhausted. Berenger is at the top trying to convince him to go back. The look on Poitier's face is more than enough to inspire a chuckle. The performances, the direction, and the cinematography are all well done in this film. The beautiful mountain landscapes inspire sort of a wistful feeling that can often be distracting. I'll also give a thumbs up to the sound effects department of this film. The sound of the rope snapping when Berenger was plummeting from the cable extending across the gorge was enough to make me wince with agony. This movie was executed well and my only complaint was that the villain's identity was revealed earlier than I thought it should have been. All in all I think it was a solid effort that I think anyone who is a fan of suspense films will enjoy. Your best bet as far as renting this movie is to go to a hole-in-the-wall movie rental store that never throws any movie away because, as other reviews have said, it is very hard to find. You may get lucky once in a blue moon and catch it on TBS or TNT, but the edited for TV versions are never as good as the uncut versions. If none of the mom and pop movie rental outlets still carry it, go to blockbuster and demand that they order this movie for you! This movie is a definite must-see for any fan of the suspense genre! FINAL SCORE 9/10

Details

Country:

USA Canada

Language:

English

Release Date:

12 February 1988 (USA)

Also Known As:

Mountain Man

Filming Locations:

Buntzen Lake, Anmore, British Columbia, Canada

Box Office

Budget:

$15,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$5,781,628, 15 February 1988

Gross USA:

$29,300,090

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$29,300,090

Company Credits

Production Co:

Touchstone Pictures, Silver Screen Partners III, Century Park Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

110 min

Sound Mix:

70 mm 6-Track (70 mm prints) Dolby Stereo (35 mm prints)

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1