Style and substance conflict within this noirish melodrama, style easily being the victor to a viewer's gratification, while the highly fanciful plot attends to a disenchanted United States military veteran, Pershing Quinn (Michael Pare), part-time jailer in a small southern U.S. town that has been numbed due to a robbery and murder of six gangland individuals, the take being cash, drugs, and art, masterminded by Clifton Santier (Peter Greene), erstwhile "peacekeeping force" comrade of Pershing while stationed in Africa, each comrade believing the other to have died, with Quinn journeying to Quebec for the purpose of capturing and returning his former friend to justice, bringing about a vivid psychological and physical duel between two SWORN ENEMIES (the video, and a better, title). Scriptor Rod Hewitt and director Shimon Dotan join in creating many effective scenes among those used as sops to action craving audiences, and creative camera-work of cinematographer Sylvain Brault provides memorable imagery as exemplified through utilization of incongruity into bucolia; indeed, some of the footage is startling, with silence employed effectively as antidote to occasional hyperbole born of themes revolving about codes of morality, although an unexpected existential climax is nicely done; amid the expansive textual landscape is acting that is never less than interesting from all members of the cast, Greene easily having the most provocative role and plumbing it to the fullest extent with his especial demeanor of incipient danger.
2 Reviews
unique action/set piece thriller with a knockout Peter Greene performance! (big spoilers)
NateWatchesCoolMovies15 January 2010
Warning: Spoilers
Here comes along an unconventional action shoot em up that doesn't focus heavily on jarring carnage, leering creeps or massive explosions to entertain, and get its point cross, which surprising for an action film of this calibre, actually does have a point.
'Amazing Grace' is sung, hummed or whistled at some point by one character or another for no apparent reason throughout, the soundtrack (including Tom Waits) is paced, and quaintly bizarre, and the back story of these two characters is fascinating and left me wanting a prequel.
The story follows Pershing Quinn (Michael Pare), a schizophrenic, drunken ex Merc, working as sheriff's deputy in a one horse town. Things get fun when powerful underworld gangster Clifton Santier (Peter Greene in a monumental performance) executes multiple other underworld figures in broad daylight , done in a particular way with the right music, making it quite a memorable scene. Santier just so happens to be Quinn's old War boss/friend etc. Quinn then pursues him to Montreeal , for revenge and a face off between 'Sworn Enemies', a better title than Coyote Run if you ask me.
the movie is full of unique characters, some acting that ranges from enigmatic, to brilliant, to just plain campy. this is the role Greene was meant to play, and he plays the hell out of it, a vicious, psychopath who somehow still comes off as charming.
atmospheric, ponderous and beautifully photographed, this is more than your garden variety B-level movie, and if you ask me, severely underrated.
'Amazing Grace' is sung, hummed or whistled at some point by one character or another for no apparent reason throughout, the soundtrack (including Tom Waits) is paced, and quaintly bizarre, and the back story of these two characters is fascinating and left me wanting a prequel.
The story follows Pershing Quinn (Michael Pare), a schizophrenic, drunken ex Merc, working as sheriff's deputy in a one horse town. Things get fun when powerful underworld gangster Clifton Santier (Peter Greene in a monumental performance) executes multiple other underworld figures in broad daylight , done in a particular way with the right music, making it quite a memorable scene. Santier just so happens to be Quinn's old War boss/friend etc. Quinn then pursues him to Montreeal , for revenge and a face off between 'Sworn Enemies', a better title than Coyote Run if you ask me.
the movie is full of unique characters, some acting that ranges from enigmatic, to brilliant, to just plain campy. this is the role Greene was meant to play, and he plays the hell out of it, a vicious, psychopath who somehow still comes off as charming.
atmospheric, ponderous and beautifully photographed, this is more than your garden variety B-level movie, and if you ask me, severely underrated.
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