A long-forgotten, and underrated, action movie starringBlade’sWesley Snipesand Hollywood iconTommy Lee Jonesis headed to free streaming. Released back in 1998, the action thriller outingU.S. Marshalsis, in fact, a sequel to the 90s Harrison Ford action classicThe Fugitive, and finds another wrongly accused man on the run from Jones’ unrelenting Chief Deputy U.S. Marshal, Samuel Gerard. This time, instead of chasing Indiana Jones, Gerard must deal with The Daywalker.
Directed by Stuart Baird and written by John Pogue,U.S. Marshalsfinds Snipes’ federal fugitive Mark Roberts on the run…and possessing his own particular set of skills. Starring several cast members fromThe Fugitivealongside Jones, including Joe Pantoliano, Daniel Roebuck, and Tom Wood, as well as Kate Nelligan, LaTanya Richardson Jackson, andRobert Downey Jr.,U.S. Marshalsis headed to free streaming platformTubion April 1, and you can check out the official synopsis below.
The Fugitive at 30: Why It Remains a Perfect Action Film
At 30 years old, the Harrison Ford thriller, The Fugitive, is as exhilarating as ever.
“An airplane bearing gruff U.S. Marshal Sam Gerard (Tommy Lee Jones) crashes in the wilderness. On board the same flight is Mark Sheridan (Wesley Snipes), a federal prisoner accused of double murder, who escapes during the ensuing chaos, but not before rescuing several people from the wreckage. Gerard is ordered to hunt down the fugitive along with State Department agent John Royce (Robert Downey Jr.), and the two pursue Sheridan relentlessly, despite growing doubts about his guilt.”
Forget the Critics, ‘U.S. Marshals’ Has a Lot To Offer Action Fans
UnlikeThe Fugitive, which was itself a remake of the 1960s television series of the same name,U.S. Marshalscame nowhere near the same cinematic action classic status. Instead of its predecessor’s hugely impressive 96% score on Rotten Tomatoes, the sequel was branded with a “rotten” score of just 30% at the time (alongside 53% from audiences on the Popcornmeter). “A rote albeit well-cast action thriller,U.S. Marshalssuffers badly in comparison to the beloved blockbuster that preceded it,” the critics consensus reads.
Legendary film critic Rogert Ebert sadly foundU.S. Marshalslackingwhen compared with the original, though the late, great writer did praise the stunt work and action sequences.
“The result is unconvincing and disorganized. Yes, there are some spectacular stunts and slick special effects sequences. Yes, Jones is right on the money, and Snipes makes a sympathetic fugitive. But it’s the story that has to pull this train, and its derailment is about as definitive as the train crash in the earlier film.”
Despite this,U.S. Marshalsoffers plenty for action movie fans to enjoy on a Friday night at home. Boasting another intense-yet-equally-hilariousperformance from Tommy Lee Jonesas the hard-nosed U.S. Marshal Samuel Gerard, as well as acharismatic turn from Wesley Snipes,U.S. Marshalsmay not have reached the upper echelons of the genre likeThe Fugitivebefore it, but it’s still well worth checking out when it hits free streaming next month.
Source:Roger Ebert
U.S. Marshals
