THE FUGITIVE ranks as one of the best action-drama movies Hollywood has produced in the 90's. Not only did it feature the ever-loved Harrison Ford, it also sky-rocketed Tommy Lee Jones from being a semi-unknown to a megastar. He even won the best supporting actor at the Academy Awards for his role as U.S.Marshal Sam Gerard. While THE FUGITIVE was based on the cult-TV series back in the 60's and its focus was on the pursuee, U.S. MARSHALS is an extension of the Marshals' case study book, banking on the immense popularity for Jones's Sam Gerard. Director Stuart Baird (EXECUTIVE DECISION) helms this sequel project.

This time, Sam puts himself in real danger pursuing Sheridan (Wesley Snipes), a mysterious character who escapes captivity after being implicated in a double homicide involving government agents. Sheridan, as the show unfolds, is more than what he seems, but I'll leave that for you guys to find out. The entire situation becomes even fishier when special agent John Royce (Robert Downey Jr) is forcefully placed into Gerard's team, supposedly to "help" in their pursuit of Sheridan. Like THE FUGITIVE, which I believe Sheridan must have watched (and possibly enjoyed..), he decides to clear his name by looking for the crooks himself.

Other than the ambitious element of secret government agents being involved in the plot, U.S.MARSHALS is simply a mediocre re-hash of its predecessor. Those who have watched and enjoyed THE FUGITIVE wil most probably detect the similarities in structure and plot. The structure an be simply summarized this way: there's this guy chasing another guy, this other guy clears him name by naming the crooks and while all that is in the process, throw in a superb crash so that the guy can escape (THE FUGITIVE – TRAIN) and a confrontation between the pursuer and the pursuee where the latter does some really death defying stunts (THE FUGITIVE – JUMPING OFF A DAM). Of course I did not include description of the sequences in U.S.MARSHALS but it does have the exact same structure. I felt too suckered to enjoy the action of U.S.MARSHAL, so many good actors were put to such bad use.

Jones's part seems a bit weaker in this spin. He lacks the spirit and enthusiasm which won him so much acclaim for THE FUGITIVE. Rap it on the script or screenplay but I think he's at most a tad bothered by of playing grievous-talking, tight-assed management people. Snipes's Sheridan is the complete en face of Ford's expected in THE FUGITIVE. His is bromide of trust and semi-cockiness. While he managed these two elements pretty well, his idiosyncrasy, I feel was not suitable throughout this cloud. The depth of the players was lacking and too much convergence was placed on trying to replace closely to its predessor. It is one of the most unoriginal sequels ever, placing it among the ranks of FREDDY and JASON repugnance films as far as sequels are concerned. There is nothing deficient with the quality of the filming, action or significant effects, but the re-pot-pourri factor does do pretty substancial damage to the film over the extent of me. I actually enjoyed EXECUTIVE DECISION by Stuart Baird, a much better action screen IMHO.

Its unfair for me to say that U.S.MARSHALS is a bad film. It's just that, after being rather impressed with the original, I cannot believe that they actually went ahead and followed the formula exactly. People who have loved THE FUGITIVE will find it hard to appreciate this film, while those who haven't may still like it for its slightly unconventional action-drama flavour. Watch something else unless you can't get enough of Tommy Lee Jones. Spend on some really good films, a recommendation would be; any film participating in the Singapore Film Festival!

The Flying Inkpot's Rating System

* Put off for the TV2 publish.
** A thimbleful creaky, but calm better than staying at home with Tonight With Gurmit.