Cliched, But Vastly Under Rated

slightlymad22

Continuing my plan to watch every Eddie Murphy movie in order, I come to Metro (1997)

Plot In A Paragraph: Scott Roper a hostage negotiator for the San Francisco Police Department.

Murphy gives a solid performance as Roper, I expected motor mouth, fast talking Murphy here, and I didn't get him. What I did get was a straight action performance. And I liked it. His hair was silly, but I liked his performance.

It's a formula action piece (from the writer of Tango & Cash) it hits most of the action movie steps.

Step 1: Action movies always start in the middle of a crisis, establish the hero, and then move into the story. Usually the early crisis is followed by a quiet domestic scene: Roper negotiates with a bank robber and then meets his former girlfriend.
Step 2: Hero gets a new partner: Roper gets a new partner named McCall (Rapaport)
Step 3: After a friend is killed by the bad guy. The Hero vows revenge despite his Chief not allowing him on the case: A colleague of Roper's is killed by the movie's diamond thief, Roper vows revenge. Of course the chief wont give him the case as it's too personal. Roper continues to chase the guy anyway. At least we were spared the Chief telling him to hand in his badge and gun.
Step 4: A car chase causing untold damage to civilian cars: A streetcar speeds downhill out of control, crashing into dozens of cars, as Roper and McCall chase it.
Step 5. Hero's wife/girlfriend will be kidnapped and threatened with death unless the hero does what the villain wants: Ropers ex, who we saw at the beginning, has her life put in jeopardy!'
Step 6. Hero and new partner (he didn't want) save the day. If the new partner lives that long: Check!!

And I enjoyed the hell out of it. I seriously enjoyed myself watching this. This will be one of Murphy's movies that I will keep in my collection. Art Evans (Die Hard 2) pops up in a small but recognisable role. Surprised we never saw more of him in the 90's. The action scenes are cleverly directed and Eddie Murphy is back on his game again, Rapaport is always good and Wincott is a smart, creepy killer. Great entertainment for me.

Metro grossed $32 million at the domestic box office (failing to bring back its $55 million budget.) to end the year the 65th highest grossing movie of 1997. Such a shame, as it deserved more recognition.

score /10

slightlymad22 25 January 2018

Reprint: https://www.imdb.com/review/rw4043671/