Film Review: Ricochet (1991)
When a film is based on an unconvincing or overused premise, the best approach is to use it in a more relaxed and lighthearted manner. One of the better examples of this can be found in Ricochet, a 1991 action film directed by Russell Mulchay.
The protagonist, played by Denzel Washington, is Nick Styles, a police officer who joins the Los Angeles Police Department to finance his law school education. His career takes off when he encounters the vicious contract killer Earl Talbot Blake, portrayed by John Lithgow. Styles' quick thinking resolves a potentially tragic hostage situation, which is captured on video and catapults him into the media spotlight, making him a favorite of his politically savvy superiors. Over the years, Styles uses his fame to rapidly advance in the police ranks and later becomes a successful assistant district attorney with promising political prospects. Meanwhile, Blake spends his time in prison plotting his revenge. After impressing fellow prisoners from the racist Aryan Brotherhood, he orchestrates a spectacular and bloody escape, faking his own death in the process. This allows him the opportunity to put his plan into motion and slowly but methodically strip Styles of his friends, career, and sanity.
The screen story by Fred Dekker and Menno Meyjes employs a frequently used premise of a diabolical criminal seeking revenge against the policeman who put him away. Originally offered to Clint Eastwood as a potential Dirty Harry sequel, Eastwood wisely declined, deeming it too dark. The project eventually landed in the hands of Joel Silver, a producer best known for his work on some of the greatest action films of the 1980s. Silver and his seasoned screenwriter Steven E. De Souza recognized that the only way to make this film stand out among the many similar thrillers was to push its content over the top. This can be seen right from the beginning, where the initial confrontation between Styles and Blake involves Styles having to strip down to calm down the maniac. Shortly after, Styles conveniently appears completely naked in the police locker room, leaving no doubt about the kind of film Ricochet is. Its exploitative nature is further emphasized by director Russell Mulcahy, an Australian filmmaker known for his style-focused approach. While the film contains plenty of violence, nudity, and explicit sex, it is presented in an unserious way that transforms it into more of a black comedy than a thriller. A prime example of this can be found in the scene where Blake earns his credentials among the Aryan Brotherhood by engaging in a medieval-style duel with another prisoner, involving improvised swords. However, Mulcahy and Silver truly showcase their creativity in devising Blake's ingenious and sinister schemes to ruin the protagonist, including drugging and coercing Styles into having sex with a prostitute, which is secretly recorded.
According to John Lithgow, who effortlessly portrays the uber-villainous Blake with the skill of a seasoned character actor, some of the schemes were deemed too outrageous and were either not filmed or left on the cutting room floor due to censorship concerns. What remains on screen is a guilty pleasure for the audience. The film proved to be beneficial for Denzel Washington, allowing him to establish himself as an action star and a new symbol of Hollywood masculinity while showcasing his acting skills within the context of exploitative content. Washington delivers a great performance as the confident, ambitious man who quickly loses his sanity due to his adversary's schemes, only to use his own insanity to lure Blake into a final trap. The rest of the cast delivers solid performances, but they are overshadowed by the exceptional work of the two main actors. Towards the end, Mulcahy and De Souza begin to lose some of their creativity, resulting in a weaker finale that relies heavily on pyrotechnics and an somewhat unconvincing subplot involving Styles' old neighborhood friend, played by Ice T, who has become a drug lord and decides to help Styles for some unknown reason. Ricochet is a film that can be recommended to fans of Denzel Washington and 1980s-style action cinema, although some parts of the audience may be put off by the excessive violence and disturbing scene involving the protagonist's young children. It achieved modest success at the box office but wasn't as loved by critics, especially after it made Martin Scorsese's Cape Fear, a film with a similar premise, seem much less enjoyable.
RATING: 6/10 (++)
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