Jack Walsh is an experienced professional, a master of his craft. He was once a police officer, but now he is a private investigator. His specialty is operations to catch fugitive criminals. This time Jack is busy searching for Jonathan Mardukas, known by the nickname “The Duke”. Mardukas, a modest and intelligent accountant, managed to steal $15 million from the mafia. Under the arrangement, Jack must catch the “Duke”, handcuffed and delivered on a plane from New York to Los Angeles on a specified date. For this, Walsh will receive as much as one hundred thousand dollars.
For a sophisticated “bounty hunter” such a task is a mere trifle. But Jack did not take into account that besides him, Mardukas is actively hunted by gangsters, the FBI and a treacherous fellow competitor. Moreover, Mardukas has a panic fear of flying, and Jack has to carry the Duke across America.
4k movies reviews
This is a mix of genres from the extremely versatile and noteworthy director Martin Brest.
In addition to the vinaigrette of genres, there is a very colorful and diverse cast, and an atypical (for Danny Elfman) soundtrack. Plus great scenery, whose appearance in the film is due, often sewn in white threads, but nevertheless, a wonderful script.
All of this makes for a typical eighties crime-adventure movie. On the one hand there is nothing too remarkable in it, but on the other – a lot of trifles (De Niro, really, I think, would take offense at such wording), which single out ‘Midnight Run’ from the masses of similar ones.
The events of this road movie unfold very slowly. We gradually get acquainted with all the characters, and then the adventures themselves begin. The ‘bounty hunter’ Alonzo Mosely (ugh, I mean Jack Walsh) and his ‘captive companion’ Jonathan ‘Duke’ Mardukas.
Making their way across the States from one coast to the other, the two, in addition to the problems that accompany penniless travelers, are pestered by the Mafia, the FBI, and a grief-stricken rival loner.
‘Out of the fire and into the fire’ (light version) is how I would characterize their misadventures. For there aren’t too many crazy chases, shootouts and deadly explosions. But the action element is present (the scene with the mafia helicopter is particularly good, though clichéd to the point of being clichéd).
You can discern ‘Action, Thriller, Adventure, Crime’ in all the aforementioned, although the signs of the first two genres are not in abundance here.
‘Where’s the Comedy?’ you ask?
It’s there too. You won’t die of laughter while watching it, but the film, despite the absence of levity and presence of profanity, abounds in inclusions of many humorous moments, manifested mainly in the dialogues and actions of the main characters.
They were played by Robert De Niro and Charles Grodin. Unusual and very memorable screen duo. One is worth the other. The ironic Jack Walsh and the unabashedly suffering Mardukas. Great characters, great acting.
In addition to them, there are cool secondary characters: the heroes of Pantoliano and Farina, a couple of gangsters on the run (often very amusing with their antics) and others.
In conclusion, we’d like to conclude by recommending this movie to fans of good old Hollywood movies that will let you plunge for a couple of hours into the adventurous world of criminal adventures and, besides, will make you smile more than once, and maybe even smile a couple of times.
Good (in spite of the murder and swearing), heartwarming, funny and… just a good movie!
Info Blu-ray
Video
Codec: HEVC / H.265 (79.6 Mb/s)
Resolution: Native 4K (2160p)
HDR: Dolby Vision, HDR10
Aspect ratio: 1.85:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.85:1
Audio
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0
English: Dolby Digital 5.1
Subtitles
English, English SDH.
