Money Train (1995)

Starring:

• Wesley Snipes
• Woody Harrelson
• Jennifer Lopez

IMDB.com
Not really a very good movie. Much of the plot is unbelievable and implausible.

However, I do find that I enjoy watching this from time to time. I seem to enjoy just about anything with Wesley Snipes. I believe he is very underrated. His easygoing, but dedicated cop in this works for me. He works hard, is smart, and seems to be someone you can rely on. He cares deeply for the "brother" who grew up in his house, but he is frustrated in constantly having to bail him out of trouble.

I suppose Woody Harrelson's character is probably the worst thing about this for me. His character is seriously annoying, and it would be hard to believe him surviving as a police officer, with all his personal problems. It's okay to suspend disbelief, but a movie like this should at least have an air of plausibility.

Robert Blake's subway manager is quite a bit over-the-top, but provides a real antagonism for the buddy/brother cops, and establishes himself as the real villain for the plot.

The plan, and the execution of the robbery, (and Snipes character going along with something like this), REALLY stretches plausibility, but there is an easy camaraderie between the 2 actors, and the action is good.

It ain't all that good, but it isn't unwatchable.

Trespass (1992)

"Trespass" (1992) is an action crime thriller directed by Walter Hill and written by Bob Gale and Robert Zemeckis. The star-studded cast includes Bill Paxton, William Sadler, Ice-T, Ice Cube, Bruce A. Young, and Stoney Jackson. The film is non-stop intensity from beginning to end. The story's premise is straightforward, but how things play out keeps you glued to the screen. Two firefighters (Paxton and Sadler) discover a map leading them to stolen gold in an abandoned St. Loius building. While searching for the gold, they witness a gang murder an adversary. However, the gang leader (Ice-T) notices one of the men standing near the dead body, and things escalate.

Hill shot most of the film between Atlanta and Memphis, even though the film's setting is St. Louis. Universal Pictures wanted to release the movie earlier than December. However, due to the LA riots in the Spring of '92 and because the original title was "The Looters," they changed the title and remarketed the film. Unfortunately, the riots' timing and the film's storyline made a poor impression on a larger audience because the movie had a white versus black component. Still, it had nothing to do with one group hating another group.

The soundtrack is the good raw, gutter, and in-your-face early 90s hip-hop. Ice-T and Ice Cube performed the title song on the soundtrack. Makes your wish there was a collab album between the two at the time. Other artists include Black Sheep, Public Enemy, WC, Lord Finesse, and Gang Starr. Check out that soundtrack if you want something to give you that Golden Age vibe. It's incredibly underrated compared to other hip-hop soundtracks released in the 90s.

Director: Walter Hill

Writer: Bob Gale, Robert Zemeckis

Starring Bill Paxton, William Sadler, Ice-T, Ice Cube, Bruce A. Young, Stoney Jackso, Art Evans, Glen Plummer, De'voreaux White, Tom Lister Jr., T.E. Russell, John Toles-Bey, Byron Minns, Tico Wells, Hal Landon Jr., James Pickens Jr., L. Warren Young

Storyline

Firefighters Vince (Bill Paxton) and Don (William Sadler) venture into the gang-infested territory to find gold hidden inside an abandoned building. But when they witness a murder, they become the targets of crime lord King James (Ice-T) and his underling Savon (Ice Cube). Fortunately, the treasure hunters have kidnapped a bargaining chip: King James' half-brother, Lucky (Devoreaux White). 

Passenger 57 (1992)

Starring:

• Wesley Snipes
• Bruce Payne
• Tom Sizemore

IMDB.com
"Passenger 57" is one of the many films that followed in the wake of the action film that re invented the genre, 1988's "Die Hard" with Bruce Willis in the lead. When I first saw P57, rented on video in the mid nineties, I wasn't expecting a re-run of Die Hard, but i was pleasantly surprised at how enjoyable an action flick it was.

Wesley Snipes and Bruce Payne spark well off each other as the troubled hero and psychotic villain. They are given competent support by the rest of the cast, although one of my small complaints is how under utilised the other actors are. That said, Ernie Lively does a nice turn as the local police chief and Robert Hooks (father of director Kevin Hooks) is good as an FBI Agent.

Essentially, Passenger 57 is a solid little action movie which is well paced and has enough intriguing characters and good action scenes to keep you interested right through to the finale. The story is perhaps a little thin and the script could have used a bit more depth to develop the characters, but it's very enjoyable none the less.

Don't view this expecting a great movie, but if you have an hour and a half to kill this film is well worth a watch.