** 1/2 out of ****
The Last Boy Scout was Bruce Willis' first true buddy action picture, and as such, it's certainly no Die Hard: With a Vengeance (which was, quite possibly, the best buddy picture of the 90's). Damon Wayans, a decent comedian in his own right, is no Samuel L. Jackson. But this movie isn't half-bad, and it'll probably appeal to those who yearn for the days of good, old-fashioned gory action pictures that didn't rely on CGI nonsense to deliver excitement.
Surprisingly enough, the film actually spends a lot of time building up its story, focusing on the murder of ex-quarterback Jimmy Dix's (Wayans) girlfriend (played by Halle Berry, before she struck it big). Joining in on the investigation is ex-secret service agent Joe Hallenback (Willis), a down-on-his-luck, cynical detective with a cheating wife and a disrespectful daughter. And faster than you can say Lethal Weapon, this mismatched pair find themselves in the middle of a legalized gambling conspiracy and they're going to have to prevent the assassination of a major political figure.
The Last Boy Scout doesn't really have a whole lot in the way of action until the last half-hour, so the first seventy or so minutes tend to drag. What keeps the movie afloat is a semi-interesting story and good chemistry between Willis and Wayans, who make for a pretty good duo. There are some bothersome aspects, most of them involving the movie's disturbing treatment of women, particularly Danielle Harris as Willis' daughter. Don't get me wrong, she's actually delivers a terrific performances, it's just that she's one of the most foul-mouthed, vulgar children I've ever seen in a movie and she's placed in a LOT of dangerous situations.
Director Tony Scott keeps the plot boiling before delivering an explosive climax. Shootouts, car chases, and fistfights all take up the last half-hour or so in a concluding setpiece that most would probably deem ridiculous (a football is used to save someone's life), but in the midst of all this chaos, it actually works. The film was made in 1991, before Scott became obsessed with quick cuts and fast camera movements (which heavily marred his recent Spy Game), though some of the same kinetic cinematography can be seen here, but in a good, exciting way.
The film was written by none other than Lethal Weapon scribe Shane Black, who opts for a lot of the same material here, though not as tightly written. Willis' Hallenback is every bit as fun as Mel Gibson's Martin Riggs, but this has more to do with his performance than any of Black's written dialogue. The same goes for Wayans, whose comedic potential is only unleashed on an inconsistent basis. The film's entertainment value is also somewhat inconsistent, but with its star duo and blowout finale, is a movie ultimately worth watching.
The Last Boy Scout was Bruce Willis' first true buddy action picture, and as such, it's certainly no Die Hard: With a Vengeance (which was, quite possibly, the best buddy picture of the 90's). Damon Wayans, a decent comedian in his own right, is no Samuel L. Jackson. But this movie isn't half-bad, and it'll probably appeal to those who yearn for the days of good, old-fashioned gory action pictures that didn't rely on CGI nonsense to deliver excitement.
Surprisingly enough, the film actually spends a lot of time building up its story, focusing on the murder of ex-quarterback Jimmy Dix's (Wayans) girlfriend (played by Halle Berry, before she struck it big). Joining in on the investigation is ex-secret service agent Joe Hallenback (Willis), a down-on-his-luck, cynical detective with a cheating wife and a disrespectful daughter. And faster than you can say Lethal Weapon, this mismatched pair find themselves in the middle of a legalized gambling conspiracy and they're going to have to prevent the assassination of a major political figure.
The Last Boy Scout doesn't really have a whole lot in the way of action until the last half-hour, so the first seventy or so minutes tend to drag. What keeps the movie afloat is a semi-interesting story and good chemistry between Willis and Wayans, who make for a pretty good duo. There are some bothersome aspects, most of them involving the movie's disturbing treatment of women, particularly Danielle Harris as Willis' daughter. Don't get me wrong, she's actually delivers a terrific performances, it's just that she's one of the most foul-mouthed, vulgar children I've ever seen in a movie and she's placed in a LOT of dangerous situations.
Director Tony Scott keeps the plot boiling before delivering an explosive climax. Shootouts, car chases, and fistfights all take up the last half-hour or so in a concluding setpiece that most would probably deem ridiculous (a football is used to save someone's life), but in the midst of all this chaos, it actually works. The film was made in 1991, before Scott became obsessed with quick cuts and fast camera movements (which heavily marred his recent Spy Game), though some of the same kinetic cinematography can be seen here, but in a good, exciting way.
The film was written by none other than Lethal Weapon scribe Shane Black, who opts for a lot of the same material here, though not as tightly written. Willis' Hallenback is every bit as fun as Mel Gibson's Martin Riggs, but this has more to do with his performance than any of Black's written dialogue. The same goes for Wayans, whose comedic potential is only unleashed on an inconsistent basis. The film's entertainment value is also somewhat inconsistent, but with its star duo and blowout finale, is a movie ultimately worth watching.