When a black convenience store clerk and cop are killed are killed on Christmas Eve, Los Angeles Sheriff's Department homicide detective, Jerry Beck (Don Johnson), investigates and determines the method of kill and suspect profile match recently paroled white supremacist Robert "Bobby" Burns (Frank Military). As Jerry Beck embarks on his driven goal of bringing Burns to justice, he searches the darkest corners of white supremacist culture throughout the United States.
Directed by veteran action/suspense filmmaker John Frankenheimer, the movie is based on real life LASD Homicide Detective Jerome "Jerry" Beck (who was later given special commendation by President Clinton) whose life Frankenheimer bought the rights to make a movie. Beck served as technical consultant on the film and even gets a walk-on cameo as "John" and would go on to serve as a technical advisor on other projects such as Silk Stalkings. Despite Don Johnson's popularity on the hit show Miami Vice, much like Tom Selleck of Magnum P. I. Johnson exhibited issues in crossing over from TV to film stardom with Dead Bang unfortunately another underperformer that was ignored both critically and commercially. While the movie more or less follows the standard hard edged police action formula of the time, Johnson is portraying a solid character based on a real life person and I think it's quite good for the movie it is.
Johnson does well playing the role of Jerry Beck as a man who's a bit of a mess personally and professionally but beneath his slovenly exterior is a good man driven to do right. The unconventional nature of his character walks a line with one suspect chase culminating in him vomiting on the suspect after apprehending him and also tricking a parole officer into accompanying him so he can investigate a suspect, but the movie is at least aware of these flaws and doesn't excuse them. The movie features a solid supporting cast such as William Forsythe as a clean cut FBI agent who makes no secret of his distaste for the way Beck carries himself and Bob Balaban is a lot of fun as parole officer Elliott Webley who gets roped into Beck's investigation on Christmas morning no less and has an amusing bit where he has to lie to his wife over the phone. Frank Military is nicely despicable as the white supremacist pursued by Beck who's hateful and threatening and does a great job of making the audience want to see him taken down a peg. The movie's not perfect, the character of Linda played by Penelope Ann Miller seems like she's positioned as being important but is gone by the end of the first act and certain investigative elements felt a bit more muddled than they should've been but Frankenheimer keeps things moving along at a solid clip and gives some solid moments of thrills and suspense.
Dead Bang is a fun cop thriller featuring a solid performance from Johnson as Beck. It cant be denied the movie owes its existence to other cop films of the time but it does use those elements well by creating genuine suspense and thrills with some truly hateful villains.
Directed by veteran action/suspense filmmaker John Frankenheimer, the movie is based on real life LASD Homicide Detective Jerome "Jerry" Beck (who was later given special commendation by President Clinton) whose life Frankenheimer bought the rights to make a movie. Beck served as technical consultant on the film and even gets a walk-on cameo as "John" and would go on to serve as a technical advisor on other projects such as Silk Stalkings. Despite Don Johnson's popularity on the hit show Miami Vice, much like Tom Selleck of Magnum P. I. Johnson exhibited issues in crossing over from TV to film stardom with Dead Bang unfortunately another underperformer that was ignored both critically and commercially. While the movie more or less follows the standard hard edged police action formula of the time, Johnson is portraying a solid character based on a real life person and I think it's quite good for the movie it is.
Johnson does well playing the role of Jerry Beck as a man who's a bit of a mess personally and professionally but beneath his slovenly exterior is a good man driven to do right. The unconventional nature of his character walks a line with one suspect chase culminating in him vomiting on the suspect after apprehending him and also tricking a parole officer into accompanying him so he can investigate a suspect, but the movie is at least aware of these flaws and doesn't excuse them. The movie features a solid supporting cast such as William Forsythe as a clean cut FBI agent who makes no secret of his distaste for the way Beck carries himself and Bob Balaban is a lot of fun as parole officer Elliott Webley who gets roped into Beck's investigation on Christmas morning no less and has an amusing bit where he has to lie to his wife over the phone. Frank Military is nicely despicable as the white supremacist pursued by Beck who's hateful and threatening and does a great job of making the audience want to see him taken down a peg. The movie's not perfect, the character of Linda played by Penelope Ann Miller seems like she's positioned as being important but is gone by the end of the first act and certain investigative elements felt a bit more muddled than they should've been but Frankenheimer keeps things moving along at a solid clip and gives some solid moments of thrills and suspense.
Dead Bang is a fun cop thriller featuring a solid performance from Johnson as Beck. It cant be denied the movie owes its existence to other cop films of the time but it does use those elements well by creating genuine suspense and thrills with some truly hateful villains.