Midnight Run

Hands up anyone who has never seen a buddy movie?

Oh, just that one in the back? The rest of the class, laugh at that guy! Where have you BEEN? Hiding under a rock? Collecting STAMPS? I mean, really!

You know, the ones where's this this guy, say a cop, or even better, a bounty hunter, like Robert De Niro! And then, pair him up with somebody he'd rather not be with, like Charles Grodin's character, an accountant who embezzled $15 million from a mobster and gave it to charity!

Of course, we have to add the kinda-dumb mobsters chasing them (it's some kind of mainstream law), and the FBI guys who want to stop De Niro taking Grodin back to LA after he skipped bail. Maybe even add another bounty hunter out to make sure that De Niro's boss gets Grodin back - after all, he put up the $450,000 bail money. Let hijinks ensue.

The movies strides along with jovial stupidity, following the road movie formula with precision and a lack of basic logic that becomes quite tiring at the halfway point. Adding to my lack of enthusiasm is the lazy screenplay which continually puts the main characters in a tight spot, then has them escape when another party unexpectedly arrives.

Don't get me wrong, it's well-executed by Beverley Hills Cop director Martin Brest, and I'm sure I would have thought it was the dog's bollocks when I was 15, but I've seen too many films that share a near-identical plot to recommend it.

For that one guy though, they end up friends in the end... who would have thought it?

Regardless of the quality of the film itself, the video transfer here is one of the best I have seen from a back-catalogue title, which generally have a small amount of scratches, tears or dirt on the print. This simply doesn't happen here - the print is impeccably, almost distractingly clean, with sharp definition, minimal noise or grain, and respectable shadow detail.

It's not the ultimate in clarity, as the video is not 16:9-enhanced, but considering the age of the print, I don't think anybody will be unhappy with the look of the disc when they sit down to watch it.

Of course, an 80's film is most likely going to have a Pro-Logic soundtrack, which is what we're presented with here. The most intriguing element is the Danny Elfman score, which sounds entirely unlike his work with Tim Burton. In fact, the score sounds like an attempt to ape the style of Harold Faltermeyer (who scored the first two Beverley Hills Cop pictures).

The mix is generally restricted to the front three speakers, with minimal surround action. The only niggling point with the sound is the distortion which crops up when people raise their voices at each other, but besides that, it's a respectable, if dated, Pro-Logic soundtrack.

There are no extras here, folks. Move along.

If you really, really liked Beverley Hills Cop, 48 Hours, Three Fugitives or any of the hundreds of other films in this genre, you'll probably enjoy this as well.

Of course, if you're really still stuck in that 80s mindset, there are prescription medicines that can help. If pain persists, see your doctor.