U.S. Marshals (1998) Warner Bros./Action RT: 131 minutes Rated PG-13 (some scenes of violence and brief language) Director: Stuart Baird Screenplay: Roy Huggins and John Pogue Music: Jerry Goldsmith Cinematography: Andrzej Bartkowiak Release date: March 6, 1998 (US) Cast: Tommy Lee Jones, Wesley Snipes, Robert Downey Jr., Joe Pantoliano, Daniel Roebuck, Tom Wood, LaTanya Richardson, Irene Jacob, Kate Nelligan, Patrick Malahide, Rick Snyder, Michael Paul Chan, Johnny Lee Davenport, Donald Li, Marc Vann. Box Office: $57.1M (US)
Rating: ***
U.S. Marshals isn’t exactly a sequel to The Fugitive; it’s more like a spin-off in that Chief Deputy Marshal Sam Gerard (Jones, reprising his role) and his team are the center of attention as they chase another fugitive (Snipes, Passenger 57) who claims he’s been set up. Like the other guy, he might be telling the truth.
Chicago tow truck driver Mark Warren (Snipes) gets into a serious car accident. During their investigation, the police discover that he’s actually a federal fugitive named Mark Roberts wanted for two murders in New York. Mark is arrested and put on a prisoner transport plane heading for New York. Gerard is on board to escort two other prisoners on an unrelated case.
During transport, another prisoner tries to assassinate Mark with a zip gun and breaks a window causing the plane to depressurize. The plane makes an emergency crash landing and Mark manages to escape. As Gerard assembles his team, he receives word that DSS (Diplomatic Security Service) special agent John Royce (Downey, Iron Man) will be joining his team. Gerard doesn’t love it, but he has no say in the matter. There’s more riding on Mark’s capture than he’s been told.
The plot of U.S. Marshals is a bit more complex than its predecessor. It’s not just a straight story. It involves espionage, government agents and conspiracy. It’s a pretty good action movie. It has its fair share of exciting scenes including one that ends with Mark jumping on top of a moving subway car to elude his pursuers.
With everything that’s going on in U.S. Marshals, it’s no wonder it gets somewhat convoluted in the middle. Yes, there is a mole in the State Department and it doesn’t take a genius to figure out his/her identity long before director Stuart Baird (Executive Decision) chooses to show his cards. I didn’t mind though. Although overlong, U.S. Marshals is a solid action movie that gives Gerard a worthy opponent. Without giving too much away, there’s more to Mark than I’m telling you. This guy has skills Dr. Richard Kimble didn’t. He knows what he’s doing. He keeps his cool. He shows not a single hint of desperation. There’s a good reason for this, but that would be telling.
Jones turns in another good performance even if he wasn’t nominated for an Oscar this time. He’s just as deadpan and determined as he was in The Fugitive. Wesley is one of the best action stars to emerge from the 90s. He’s right up there with Seagal and JCVD. He proves this with his performance in U.S. Marshals. Downey, an incredibly talented actor, makes an interesting addition to the cast. He plays it straight this time; he doesn’t do his usual wise-ass shtick here. The members of Gerard’s team include Cosmo (Pantoliano, The Matrix), Biggs (Roebuck, River’s Edge), Cooper (Richardson, Sleepless in Seattle) and Newman (Wood, Under Siege). They all have their own distinct personalities, yet are a perfectly cohesive team. When it comes to nabbing fugitives, they’re the best.
I like U.S. Marshals. It’s an entertaining and exciting action movie that’s not as good as its predecessor. Such as it is with sequels (or in this case, spin-offs), it’s a slightly lesser movie, one that doesn’t deliver the same thrill as its predecessor. Even with the major differences between the fugitives, the whole affair has a been there-done that kind of feel to it. Sure, there’s the whole thing about identifying the traitor within the department. You get the feeling that there’s more to the relationship between Gerard and his boss Catherine Walsh (Nelligan, Wolf) than the screenwriters are letting on. They hint at a possible relationship outside of work, but they neither confirm nor deny it. It tells a good story, but you won’t remember it as well as The Fugitive. However, it’s better than average for a sequel/spin-off so I say check it out!
