The Package (1989) Orion/Action-Thriller RT: 108 minutes Rated R (language, strong violence) Director: Andrew Davis Screenplay: John Bishop Music: James Newton Howard Cinematography: Frank Tidy Release date: August 25, 1989 (US) Cast: Gene Hackman, Tommy Lee Jones, Joanna Cassidy, John Heard, Dennis Franz, Pam Grier, Kevin Crowley, Ron Dean, Reni Santoni, Thalmus Rasulala, Nathan Davis, Chelcie Ross, Joe Greco, Marco St. John. Box Office: $10.6M (US)
Rating: *** ½
Here’s my question. Why in the hell did The Package hit theaters in late August, the traditional dumping ground for terrible movies? It’s an exceptionally good and unfairly overlooked political action-thriller with an intelligent script and a talented cast not to mention a first-rate director. Nevertheless, audiences stayed away and the movie just barely limped across the $10 million mark.
I went to see The Package on a Saturday night at a cinema near where I used to work at the time. It struck me that this same theater was filled to capacity a month earlier when I saw Parenthood. Okay, I know. Comedies tend to attract bigger crowds than complex political thrillers. Still, I hoped that maybe positive word of mouth might encourage people to check it out. Alas, that didn’t happen either. This is what I call a crime against cinema. The guilty party is the studio for mishandling a great movie that still holds up after 35 years. It’s still just as awesome as it was that hot August night in ’89.
Gene Hackman (No Way Out) stars as Master Sgt. Johnny Gallagher, the leader of crack U.S. military unit assigned to security detail at an American-Soviet nuclear disarmament summit in West Germany. He gets the blame after terrorists attack a car full of VIPs and one of his own men gets killed. As a result, he’s assigned to escort a military prisoner (a “package”) to the US for a court martial for punching a superior officer. Gallagher believes that it’s just a routine assignment until Walter Henke (Jones, The Fugitive) escapes from custody when they arrive in Washington D.C. He’s at a complete loss. Was it an escape or a kidnapping? What’s going on here? Could it have something to do with the Black Ops specialist (Heard, Home Alone) he encountered right before leaving West Germany?
Not sure who he can trust, Gallagher calls on his ex-wife Eileen (Cassidy, Who Framed Roger Rabbit?) to help him locate his missing “package”. They soon discover that “Henke” isn’t who he claims to be. There’s something big about to go down, but what? At this point, we know that there’s a conspiracy between American and Soviet military leaders who don’t want to see their leaders sign a peace treaty that would require the complete elimination of nuclear weapons. We also know that the US President and the leader of the Soviet Union plan to officially sign the treaty at a meeting in Chicago.
Aside from that, there’s little else I’m willing to reveal about The Package and its intricate plot. It’s one of those movies that require the viewer’s full attention. John Bishop (Drop Zone) provides a taut and tension-filled screenplay, one that isn’t a tired collection of action movie clichés. Director Andrew Davis (Code of Silence, Above the Law) makes great use of the Chicago locations. The gritty feeling of the Windy City enhances the tone of the movie. In most of Davis’ movies, the city of Chicago becomes a living, breathing entity as alive as any of the characters. As Gallagher races around the city attempting to retrieve his lost package and prevent whatever it is he might be doing, Davis gives us a good idea of the physical geography of Chicago and that really sets The Package apart from routine action flicks in that it adds an element of “urban actioner” to “Cold War political thriller”.
The Package boasts an incredible cast starting with Hackman in the leading role. He’s one of those actors who deliver a great performance in every movie, even if it’s a stinker like Loose Cannons. He really seems at home in this type of movie. Look no further than his performance in the 1987 political thriller No Way Out (one of my all time favorite “tricky movies”). Jones is amazing as the “package” of the title”. He adds a real menacing quality to this character. Cassidy does a great job as the ex-wife who now outranks Gallagher.
The movie also has an amazing supporting cast, but the best performance comes from Dennis Franz (Die Hard 2) as the Chicago cop who aids Gallagher in his search for his package. He has the exact persona for this type of role. Pam Grier (Jackie Brown) shows up as a friend/co-worker of Eileen. It’s a brief role, but it’s enough to remind the audience that she’s still one of the coolest actresses working in film. Davis regular Ron Dean (Code of Silence) plays a shady type involved in the conspiracy. Reni Santoni (Cobra) shows up as a Chicago police lieutenant and Thalmus Rasulala (New Jack City) plays the Secret Service Commander. Heard is positively creepy as the Black Ops specialist also involved in the conspiracy.
The Package is one of the best movies you’ve never heard of. It’s a quality film all the way, a highly underappreciated political thriller that deserves to be seen. If you like this sort of movie, you should definitely seek it out. You will not be disappointed.
