The Getaway
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Movie Reviews of The Getaway
Movie Review: Better than the first
Summary: 5 Stars
Somewhat like the remake of The Thomas Crown Affair this is again much better than the original, and I love McQeen.Baldwin is great, Kim Bassinger is very believable and Madsen superb as the bad guy. James Woods is wonderful too.
Great direction by Roger Donaldson, the locations are well thought out and easy on the eyes too.
All in all a splendid update of the orgiginal, which wasn't bad but this is one remake that is well worth owning. Great film.
Mark Laing
Movie Review: Plenty of Action
Summary: 5 Stars
Not stop thills in this version of The Getaway. Alec & Kim deliver a sexy & explosive action film. This film proved Kim Basinger could act. After watching this I hired the orginal Getaway. Lower production standards mar this version. Ali Mac Graw proves she couldn't act (not that anyone thought she could in the first place!) Not as good as everyone says it is. Go for the remake!!Movie Review: The Getaway, The Remake
Summary: 5 Stars
I thought the movie was as good as Steve McQueen's movie,which was also
excellent.
Movie Review: Good, but not as good as the original
Summary: 4 Stars
Boy. You have to be a sucker for pain or completely devoid of original ideas to want to re-make a Sam Peckinpah film. "The Getaway" was not one of his best films ("Wild Bunch", "Ride the High County", "Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid") but it was clearly up there in his top 5, and a top 5 film from Peckinpah is still better than 99+% of any film ever made. If you have to re-make a Peckinpah film why not choose some of his failed attempts, like "Straw Dogs" or "Killer Elite" or "The Osterman Weekend". But why pick one of his best?
That's the central problem in evaluating this film. Scene by scene I can't help but compare it to the original, and the original was so good, the re-make has to suffer. Alex Baldwin, for example, is a very good actor and he does a very good job in this film, but he isn't Steve McQueen, is he? And James Woods is a great actor, but he hardly fills the shoes of Ben Johnson in this case. It's like that right up and down the line with only a few exceptions - Ali McGraw was the weak point in the original and Kim Bassinger does a much better job, and Michael Madsen does a better job than Al Lettieri, even though Lettieri was surprisingly good in the original.
Of course, the central comparison is between Peckinpah and Roger Donaldson. Roger Donaldson you ask. Who the heck is he? Donaldson is an Australian born New Zealander who is best known for directing the Mel Gibson/Anthony Hopkins version of "The Bounty" (1984). So apparently Donaldson IS a sucker for pain, trying to remake the classic Clark Gable/Charles Laughton "Mutiny on the Bounty" (1935) and now taking on Peckinpah.
Donaldson is not without talent. His work on films like "Species" (1995), "No Way Out" (1987), and "The Bank Job" (2008) is very good, and some of his lesser films are not bad either - "Cadillac Man" (1990), "Thirteen Days" (2000). But...
I know a film should stand on its own and not have to be compared to the original, but it's virtually impossible to do that. Moreover, when it comes to a suspense thriller, the idea of making a re-make is pretty stupid. Can you really remake "Psycho"? Who thought "High Noon" could be improved upon?
Some films can be remade and the difference between the original and the remake is minimal. Both versions of "Cape Fear" (1962 vs. 1991) were compelling. Both most times the original is a clear favorite. Sometimes the producers think that if they take a special effects film and re-make it, the improvement in special effects will turn the remake into a better film. Good idea, but usually wrong. Here's some remade sci fi films where the special effects were turned up but the original story still remained the better one - "The Day the Earth Stood Still" (1951 vs. 2008), "King Kong" (1933 vs. 1976 vs. 2005), "Invasion of the Body Snatchers" (1956 vs. 1978).
Remaking a film is great when you add a twist to it. The "Seven Samurai" (1954) was great as was "The Magnificent Seven" (1960), because they remade it in a different setting/time/place. Ditto for "Yojimbo" (1961) which became "A Fistfull of Dollars" (1964). "Four Brothers" (2005) updated "The Sons of Katie Elder" (1965).
One of the key plot points in "The Getaway" is whether or not they get away. Once you've seen the original, you know. So the suspense is taken away, or at best, substantially reduced. Well, in a suspense drama, what more do you have than the suspense? Reduce that, and you damn well better have some terrific acting, some revolutionary photography, or something to fill the void.
"Getaway" was one of Peckinpah's most successful films, earning $35 million in 1972 dollars. The 1994 remake made $30 million. On a budget of $16 million that made it a successful film, but much less successful than the original.
OK. Viewers of the original will be disappointed! But what if you never saw the original - is this a good film. Yes it is. You could do a lot worse. But if you want to view only one version of this film, view the original.
Movie Review: wHY IS IT BAGGED BY CRITICS??
Summary: 4 Stars
Ive seen this remake 2 or three times, same number of times as original, the original is no dispute a great McQueen crime action adventure, but yes, this remake I feel with the noir fence-wash rinse is a great night in, why do professional critics like Maltin seem to have it up with Attack of the Killer Tomatoes??
the action is great,start to finish, all three main characters make a fair fist of stepping into McQueen, McGraw and Al Lettieri's shoes, Bassingers character as the Amazon ed points out is a lot more hands on than McGraw, shes much more of a true Bonnie and Clyde gangsters moll instead of mcGraws passive passenger "I'll just maybe dosome of the driving , you'll have to shoot everybody yourself " approach.
Which is kinduv cool, frankly.
She knows better than to have a go when Doc slaps her around in one scene, which may be more about she feels actual guilt for what she has done ( for him, mind you) rather than she hasnt got the stones to try to defend herself.
Certainly she has no problem later first blowing David Morse's kneecap out with a .45, and then blowing the rest of him away after it. YaY girlpower, huh?
She is in the thick of the gunbattle.
the final rootin-tootin confrontation at the hotel is a screamer, as was the original, Baldwins face when he thinks Madsen has won and will kill him is about right underplayed.
Some criticise the scenes with Meg Tilly and her unfortunate veterinarian husband and his fate, ok, the show is of course one for after the kids are in bed. I dont personally find it gratuitous, is an eye-opener and more Noir, sure.
My sole disappointment was the writing out of the confrontation between McQueen and two Texas rangers outside a hamburger shop in the original , where McQueen hastily goes next door and arms himself by robbing a gunstore , then bails these cops up, disarms them without having to harm them, and shoots up their patrol car, before blowing town.
The Baldwin movie has no mention of this memorable scene.
Original was a tough act to follow, sure, but this stands alone well, is a good night in is totally above average popcorn entertainment, I like it, recommended if you can take a kind of commercial/Noir split which I think works.