Desperate Measures (1998)

Dramatic but never tragic
A good film indeed but it does not compare to any Seven or Silence of the Lambs. It has punch, rhythm, inventiveness, creativity even. It has some good dramatic stuff with a kid who is going to die of leukemia as the main stake. It has the antagonistic situation needed for a good film with the only donor being the serial killer who is going to try anything he can to escape. A criminal donor for the son of a cop. We avoid the easy tear forcing unreal situations like when the child is confronted to the escaping criminal who had taken him hostage, but we are not far from it with a child of 9 slightly too mature for his breeches. The female doctor, or rather surgeon is quite valiant and faces danger with elegance and courage. But in spite of all it is nothing but an adventure film more than a thriller because we know the transplant will take place, hence we know the end and we also know that the killer is going to try to escape again and the last scene is outrageously amateurish on the side of the security forces. Well done, good rhythm, good suspense but not more than good, a few creative ideas but nothing really poignant with pathos at any moment.

Dr Jacques COULARDEAU, University Paris Dauphine, University Paris 1 Pantheon Sorbonne & University Versailles Saint Quentin en Yvelines

Stat!
Finally, a movie that helps explain why I'm so unusually nice to homicidal maniacs - one man's homicidal maniac might be another man's son's bone marrow donor. Happens all the time!

Annoying snore...
I'm wondering when it became a federal crime to have a PLOT in a movie anymore. The writers of "Desperate Measures" apparently thought an interesting and coherent storyline would get them a seat in the death house because they avoided anything even remotely connected to reality in this movie.

First, there's the eminently annoying Andy Garcia. His usual tics are in full bloom - this guy has more twitches than Clint Eastwood on speed. His son needs a bone marrow transplant, and the only human being on the entire earth who is a match is psycho killer Michael Keaton.

The movie is about how Garcia tries to keep the nutcase alive after he torches the hospital personnel and shoots all the cops in his escape attempt. The boy who plays the son is adorable; one of the few kids who actually ACTS like a kid. And Michael Keaton really has a knack for psycho parts (although I still miss his "Batman" hero performances.) Both Keaton and the kid are the only reason it even merits two stars.

But it's the idea that no matter what this guy does, who he kills, he MUST live so Garcia's kid can get a transplant. After one of the many slaughter scenes in the movie, the police captain says to Garcia, "How many cops have to die so your son can live?"

Good freaking question!