A shipment of experimental weapons have been stolen from the military. With only eight days left before his retirement, Seattle police detective Burt Simpson (Dabney Coleman) is risk averse to the dismay of his partner Ernie Dills (Matt Frewer). Their captain (Barry Corbin) isn't happy either. Burt's blood test for his life insurance gets switched and he's told that he has only two and a half weeks to live. His police life insurance is only good for getting killed in the line of duty. He needs to leave money for his wife Carolyn (Teri Garr) and his young son. He takes on the riskiest calls to get himself killed in his last week on the job.
This wants to be funny with action. With a great comedic actor in Coleman and an intriguing concept, this has good potential. There is plenty of action but the comedy never quite gets to be funny. The death wish does complicate the emotional aspect. Also Frewer is not as fun as he could be. Coleman is bitter for most of the movie. The constant joke of him failing to get himself killed is limited in its effect. It's interesting but doesn't fully satisfy.
This wants to be funny with action. With a great comedic actor in Coleman and an intriguing concept, this has good potential. There is plenty of action but the comedy never quite gets to be funny. The death wish does complicate the emotional aspect. Also Frewer is not as fun as he could be. Coleman is bitter for most of the movie. The constant joke of him failing to get himself killed is limited in its effect. It's interesting but doesn't fully satisfy.