Desperate Measures Review
by James Berardinelli (berardin AT cybernex DOT net)January 31st, 1998
DESPERATE MEASURES
A Film Review by James Berardinelli
RATING: ** OUT OF ****
United States, 1998
U.S. Release Date: 1/30/98 (wide)
Running Length: 1:40
MPAA Classification: R (Violence, profanity)
Theatrical Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1
Cast: Michael Keaton, Andy Garcia, Brian Cox, Marcia Gay Hardin,
Erik King, Joseph Cross
Director: Barbet Schroeder
Producers: Barbet Schroeder & Susan Hoffman and Gary Foster & Lee Rich Screenplay: David Klass
Cinematography: Luciano Tovoli
Music: Trevor Jones
U.S. Distributor: TriStar Pictures
When I picture Michael Keaton, the image that comes to mind is one of an affable, ordinary guy with a comic edge -- the kind of person who has made his mark in films like MR. MOM, MY LIFE, THE PAPER, and MULTIPLICITY. I don't envision Batman or Bruce Wayne (a role he has played twice), and I certainly don't think of a sociopath mass murderer. Yet, in DESPERATE MEASURES, a preposterous thriller from director Barbet Schroeder (SINGLE WHITE FEMALE), that's exactly what Keaton is -- a ruthless, amoral killer whose steely eyes and cold-blooded humor inspire equal parts revulsion and wariness. In fact, it wouldn't be too far from the truth to say that the actor's work is the only worthwhile element of the film.
Alas, when the viewer looks beyond Keaton's performance, it's pretty much a wasteland. The story, which begins with a modicum of promise, quickly devolves into a series of increasingly hard-to-swallow action setups. There are all the usual explosions, shoot-outs, and car crashes (a jackknifing tractor trailer must have been difficult to choreograph). Ultimately, DESPERATE MEASURES is basically one long chase sequence, and its appeal is likely to be limited even for those who enjoy that sort of thing. To vary the film's tone and rhythm, the movie makers incorporate a number of classic thriller clichés, including one of the most overused of all -- the child in danger. However, the realization that children do not die in mainstream American movies drains away whatever little tension DESPERATE MEASURES tries to generate through this plot device.
Nine year old Matthew Connor (Joseph Cross) is dying of Leukemia. His days are numbered and his only chance is a bone marrow transplant. His increasingly desperate father, Frank (Andy Garcia), a veteran of the San Francisco P.D., has finally located a potential donor, but it's not good news. The man with a chance to save Matt's life is convicted killer Peter McCabe (Michael Keaton), a cold-hearted villain who sees the operation as an opportunity to break loose. So, after stringing everyone along by making them believe that he cares about "redemption" for the bad things he has done, Peter stages an improbable escape. Frank is on his tail, however, but the killer isn't worried. The bone marrow of a dead man is useless, so Frank has to protect Peter at all costs, or lose his son in the process.
Every movie demands a certain level of suspension of disbelief from an audience, but the bar for DESPERATE MEASURES is so high that the thinking movie-goer will never attain it. In many ways, this movie is more absurd than DIE HARD, and it certainly isn't as tightly-scripted or well-produced (nor is it intended to be as blatantly cartoonish). On top of that, the action isn't very original and the degree of tension is surprisingly low for a tale that features such high stakes. Then again, as I indicated earlier, it's not hard to guess how the film is going to end. Predictable thrillers are not the most energetic movies.
Other than Keaton's portrayal, the best performance is turned in by a young boy, Joseph Cross, who's making his feature debut. Cross brings a refreshing level of pragmatism to Matt. The mortally ill child understands what's going to happen, and accepts it. The result is an engaging character instead of an irritating whiner or someone who tugs shamelessly at our heartstrings with cloying displays of cuteness. The best scenes in DESPERATE MEASURES are those featuring Keaton and Cross after Peter kidnaps Matt.
I've never particularly liked Andy Garcia in thrillers, and his flat work here serves only to confirm that opinion. Garcia is at his best in dramas; he seems out of his depth when physical acting takes precedence over dialogue. The two primary supporting actors, Marcia Gay Harden (THE SPITFIRE GRILL) as Matt's doctor, and Brian Cox (THE BOXER) as the chief of police, aren't given enough substantive material to determine whether they're doing good jobs or merely picking up their paychecks.
There's a twist at the end, but it's not much of a surprise, and, even without reflection, it understates just how stupid the plot is. DESPERATE MEASURES is one of a broad category of thrillers that insults its audience with its obvious idiocy. Worse still, there's not enough good action to partially redeem the production. These features make DESPERATE MEASURES an exercise in futility, and, when you consider how many contrivances the characters have to endure to reach the ending, you may think that the title has more to do with the film makers' approach than with anything that happens on screen.
Copyright 1998 James Berardinelli
- James Berardinelli
e-mail: [email protected]
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