Schwarzenegger Week: Red Heat

Welcome to Day 4 of Schwarzenegger Week and it is clearly time for even more shots of Arnold's butt.  No, straight men you will have to accept this tradition that has been since The Terminator and move on.   This time around Arnold will attempt an accent that is not his own but learn some Russian and pummel even more bad guys in various state of dress.  Coupled with Jim Belushi he will thwart crime and take down the head villain.  This is Red Heat.

Keep it at 50 or we blow up!

Art Ridzik:  I'm gonna get us something from the four food spoilers: hamburgers, french fries, coffee and doughnuts.





Writer/director of action Walter Hill (The Warriors, 48 Hrs., Crossroads, Extreme Prejudice, Johnny Handsome, Another 48 Hrs. and Last Man Standing)  give us a slew of buddy cop cliches, hard hitting one-liners and many composure of James Horner (Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, Krull, Star Trek III: The Search for Spock, Commando, Cocoon, Willow and Glory) brings a gritty and dark look the differences of countries, police work and views on life.    A Georgian drug lord Viktor Rostavili (Ed O' Ross of Lethal Weapon, Full Metal Jacket, Action Jackson, Another 48 Hrs., Universal Soldier, Dark Planet and Sorority Party Massacre) is being led into a trap via Captain Ivan Danko (Arnold Schwarzenegger of Raw Deal, Twins, Kindergarten Cop, Dave, True Lies, T2 3-D: Battle Across Time and Batman & Robin) only to have to tables turn as Rosta's men gun down more than a few of the Soviet cops including Danko's partner.  Yes, now he made it personal and so on.

Well it's August.  Of course I am sweaty.

 Rosta makes his way to the States and lands in Chicago to peddle his wares when CPD gets wind of it and nabs him up.  Assigned to a plethora of murders with Rosta's m.o. Detective Art Ridzik (James Belushi of Salvador, The Principal, Real Men, K-9, Taking Care of Business, Last Action Hero and According to Jim) is there to represent Chicago PD as a prisoner transfer to Danko is to take place when Rosta's men strike again and now Ridzik looses his partner.  Double jeopardy babies!!  The two completely different cops team up in good faith and pursue Rosta and his lackeys up and down over half of Chicago causing more than their fair share of destruction to public and private property and have several shoot-outs in the process.

A few notes on the film itself if you will.

 This Hodge podge collection of action and pithy comments has more than the usual cadre of stars in it including: Gina Gershon, Laurence Fishburne, Peter Boyle and Arnold's weightlifting and sparring buddy Sven-Ole Thorsen.    I swear that guy has been in every Arnold flick to the day.  So the concept of the film is not exactly original.  Two cops from different sides of the track (or countries) are forced to team, argue, snipe, bitch, work together and become buddies by the end of the film.

Okay the formula has been used numerous times by even our director but it works.  We have action, some comedic moments and Arnold looks like a stone face golem, hell bent on crushing his chosen opponent and Belushi is really along for the ride.  I do not discount the humor and attitude he brings to the picture but it is hard to look like a bad ass next to Schwarzenegger...  unless you are Stallone.

Ivan Danko: Pro Vodka.