Gator
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Movie Reviews of Gator
Movie Review: A Reynolds Action-Comedy With A More Intense, Hard Focus
Summary: 4 Stars
I thought going into this that it was going to be along the lines of a "Smoky And The Bandit" (classic!) comedy, but, while retaining a healthy dose of humor "Gator" is much more of an action movie, and one of the better ones at that.
Burt Reynold's character is a smalltime outlaw a la Bandit, this time making moonshine in the southern bayous rather than a trucker giving law enforcement officers fits breaking every traffic law and ordinance known to man. In the early going, when the movie is still in its comedy stages, they track him down (after some wild boat-racing action) with a proposition for Gator - end up in court facing a litany of charges that'll probably land him some serious jail time, or help them out going after the 'Really bad' bad guys. And thus it's off to infiltrate a group of criminals, one of them a friend from way back of Gator's, who are pretty much running things in a small city.
At first this bunch, though clearly operating quite a bit further on the other side of the law than Reynolds's character, some like relatively smalltimers, with the same brand of charisma the 'small-time crooks/but not really Bad guys' type characters in movies of a certain vein have. But things change as we see the true nature of these characters's activities - prostituting runaway girls, burning down the properties of city residents who refuse to pay extortion money, etc. And how does Gator take to this side of his old friend's gang? Just ask yourself what reaction Bandit or Reynolds's character in "Deliverance" would have had and there you go. The catch is, his allies on the cop side want to keep him calmed down - they want to bust the whole ring and don't want their operation jeopardized by their undercover man kicking the holy hell out of one or two thugs. Enter the tension; the comedy part's pretty much done now.
Burt Reynolds shine in this, and so do the actors playing the villains. Gator is helped along by not only the cops but some other likeable allies (including the wonderfully hot Lauren Hutton as Gator's love interest) and the bunch of them form a group that plays really well off each other. Although there are some fireworks-type action, the bulk of the action - surprisingly intense, by the way - is more head-on and very personal.
A well-rounded action gem that I really hope won't be forgotten as the years go by.
Movie Review: Gator. Come and Get Him.
Summary: 4 Stars
This is a very entertaining film that showcases Burt Reynolds in his 70's prime. Reynold's directing style was clearly influenced by his previous work with Robert Aldrich, and the film's tone reflects it. There are frequent shifts between character-driven comedy and hard violence.
Reynolds is surrounded by a strong supporting cast of likeable characters. Jerry Reed is particularly good as the main villain. Instead of simply being a cliche, he's an interesting character who genuinely doesn't want to harm his childhood friend, Gator McKlusky.
The story is essentially the same as it was in White Lightning: Gator goes undercover to help the Law, undergoes a moral dilemma, and ultimately decides to take matters into his own hands.
The film would have benefited from some tighter editing, and at ninety minutes, would have been a flawless B movie. Instead, it clocks in at nearly two hours, despite maintaining a breezy pace.
Most of the excess occurs at the beginning. In the film's big action sequence, a lengthy boat chase opens the film but ultimately goes nowhere. As a result, it takes nearly thirty minutes for the film to establish its setup and get things moving. The film's ending also seems as though it should be wrapping up a different film.
Despite these criticisms, "Gator" remains a lot of fun and one of the best examples of Reynolds' brand of 70's cool.
Movie Review: Enjoy the movie, not the format
Summary: 4 Stars
I have always enjoyed Burt Reynolds movies and "Gator" is no exception. Oh sure, don't expect any of Burt's offerings to be placed in nomination for any awards, but they are extremely entertaining and always action oriented.I'm however saddened that the powers-to-be have again chosen to put yet another Burt Reynolds DVD movie out in that dreaded "full screen" format. I just don't understand the rational for some of his best movies like "Sharky's Machine" and "Hooper" and now "Gator" to be released like this. To me, it is akin to buying a "Rolls Royce" with a VW engine.
You will thoroughly enjoy the movie if don't have any preference as to it's format, but I will never again knowingly purchase a DVD in full screen format when it should be in it's theatrically released format, because for me, that is one of the important reasons I am buying DVD's in the first place.
Movie Review: Gator
Summary: 4 Stars
This was one of those movies I enjoyed watching, and would watch over again and again, it's quick paced, full of action, and light comedy, I would suggest this to anyone. I would have bought this along with White lightning, which came out before Gator. But Alas the Studio's blew it again, by only releasing this and White Lightning in full screen format.So out of my basket they went. My message to the powers to be at the studio's if your going to release DVD's such as these good fun movies, release them in both widescreen and fullscreen, you might sell more copies. But what do I know I am only a consumer.
Movie Review: Three stars for Reed
Summary: 3 Stars
Someday in the near future, perhaps, some enterprising young scholar will write a lengthy dissertation on Burt Reynolds's storied cinematic career. I know I would like to understand how an actor of such populist appeal in the 1970s could plunge into the depths of ignominy by the 1980s and 1990s. Of course Burt is in the midst of a renaissance since his turn in "Boogie Nights" a few years back, reemerging as a sort of world weary Hollywood elder statesman of the type William Holden used to play a couple of decades ago. My ponderings about the ups and downs of Reynolds's career inspired me to check out a couple of his earliest films recently, and I started with the 1973 backwoods romp "White Lightening." Why not? I've already watched "The Longest Yard" so many times that I could probably reproduce the entire script from memory. And as for "Deliverance," well, that picture is more of an ensemble effort than a vehicle for Reynolds. No, "White Lightening" is a good place to start because it develops in embryonic form the type of character Burt would cultivate to fullest effect in "Smokey and the Bandit," his most successful film and probably the apogee of his career.
After "White Lightening" came its inferior sequel "Gator." And it is inferior in virtually every aspect. Once again Bobby "Gator" McKlusky (Reynolds) will rampage through the South at the behest of federal agents, but this time the action involves bringing down a close personal friend. Let me explain. A southern governor (Mike Douglas) with aspirations for higher office realizes he must clean up a particularly problematic county in his state or else face the wrath of the press. Enter Irving Greenfield (Jack Weston), a fish out of water New Yawk G-man who is going to crack down in this county with the help of Gator McKlusky. Unfortunately, Gator doesn't know Greenfield requires his services. He's staying out in the swamp with his irascible pappy (John Steadman) and his lippy daughter Suzie (Lori Futch) when Greenfield and a bunch of local yokels come sweeping in on boats. After the obligatory chase scene, the G-man presents Gator with an ultimatum: help me bring down Bama McCall (Jerry Reed) or go to jail while we send your daughter to a foster home. It seems I forgot to mention the importance of Bama McCall. He's the crime boss causing the Guv so many problems, but he's also an old friend of Gator's. Bama's a bad dude mixed up in all sorts of seedy rackets, so you just know McKlusky's going to have a tough time bringing him down.
Well, Gator heads down to Bama's stomping grounds and quickly signs on in the man's organization. Lurking in the background is the bumbling Greenfield, who obviously assumes the role of comic relief to offset some of the grotesque behaviors engaged in by McCall and his operatives. Speaking of Bama's goons, two deserve special mention: Smiley (Burton Gilliam) and Bones (William Engesser) form a sort of bizarro Laurel and Hardy duo. Smiley smiles a lot, but Bones stands roughly thirty feet tall and looks like he could tackle a mountain without breaking a sweat. Predictably, McKlusky doesn't get along with these two, and he also expresses displeasure about his buddy Bama's activities. Just when things couldn't get anymore complicated, into this mix enters Aggie Maybank (Lauren Hutton), a feminist reporter who wants to find out more about Bama McCall's operation. And since this is a Burt Reynolds film, she also wants to find out more about Gator. Throw in a car chase or two, some gooey romance between Hutton and Reynolds, and the dour faced Alice Ghostley as a nosy native named Emmeline Cavanaugh and you've got all the fixings for a typical 1970s/1980s Burt Reynolds epic. You'll laugh, you'll cry, and you'll likely walk away from this one with an upset stomach because "Gator" sinks like a stone.
Not everything is a lost cause, however. Jerry Reed deserves some sort of an award for his nuanced portrayal of a small town hood rapidly moving up into the big time. His Bama McCall will laugh and joke around, really charm the socks off of those around him, even as his eyes never lose that glint of steel. He plays for keeps, and Reed plays the role so well he puts Reynolds to shame. Once you move past good old Jerry, there isn't much to recommend about the film. Reynolds spends too much time hamming it up, Hutton is eye candy and little else, and Weston simply ought to know better. The action scenes, topped off with a pedestrian fistfight between Gator and Bama, are so by the numbers you could practically tick off the particulars of each one on a checklist. It's interesting to note that Reynolds directed "Gator," albeit with some help from James Best, so most of the blame for this hodgepodge, something for everybody film should rest squarely on the star's shoulders. The picture is too unfocused because it tries to do too much. Sadly, Reynolds didn't learn his lesson from this movie and promptly ran his career off the rails a few years down the road.
Extras on the DVD begin and stop with a trailer, something that is rather common with a lot of these MGM releases. The fullscreen picture transfer doesn't look too good, either, with certain scenes looking unfocused and fuzzy in spots. Then again, maybe Reynolds manned the camera and didn't learn how to operate it! Whatever the case, "Gator" is a must have for Reynolds completists but most other people should probably give this one a pass or just stick to "White Lightening." That movie has great atmosphere and solid performances from the whole cast, and is a much better effort than this unsatisfying sequel.