Most violent Hollywood action film of the 1990's

THE LAST BOY SCOUT (1991)

Reviewed by Jerry Saravia

In 1991, Bruce Willis was on a steady path to career decline. He played a vile, obnoxious husband in the underrated "Mortal Thoughts," which had lackluster box-office success, and followed that with the unwatchable vanity production known as "Hudson Hawk," a huge, misguided, costly flop. Later that year came a sterling supporting role in "Billy Bathgate" (I still think Willis is often at his best in
supporting parts). He did manage a lead role in "The Last Boy Scout," a 1991 action-thriller in the "Lethal Weapon" vein that was released near Christmas time. I have various reservations about it but it is often entertaining enough to make one wish it wasn't so distasteful.

Willis plays the perfect Willis role: a wisecracking, ex-Secret Service agent/detective with a consistent hangover. He is Joe Cornelius, who spends most of his time sleeping in his car or in his
office, away from his family. His family is sick of him, including his wife (Chelsea Field) who has an affair with his best friend. But hold on to your seats: the movie begins with a football player committing suicide during a game, after having shot several players! This superviolent episode is never referred to again (except by one line of dialogue) so, yes kids, it would qualify as a plot hole. Within the first ten minutes of the film, Willis's Joe punches his best friend ("Head or Gut?") after learning of the affair and there is the customary explosion! And to make matters worse, Damon Wayans plays an ex-football player, Jimmy Dix, (kicked out of the game for gambling on his team) who throws a football at another player's face who's forcing a woman to give him oral pleasure! Violence and misogyny rule in "The Last Boy Scout." And let's not forget Halle Berry in her pre-Oscar fame as a go-go dancer who is killed by gunfire not a moment too soon after those initial ten minutes. I can say with pretty safe assurance that, in retrospect, this is the most violent action film of the 1990's.

Then there is Joe's daughter (Danielle Harris), the most foul-mouthed 14 year-old girl since Linda Blair (perhaps she just needed a little exorcisizing). Joe hates her, she hates him, Jimmy Dix hates Joe - everybody in this movie hates the guy. Well, why not? He's an unshaven jerk who is even teased by neighborhood kids who come armed with dead squirrels!

The plot has to do with a corrupt team owner (Noble Willingham) who wants to make sports gambling legal. He also wants to bring the team spirit back to the game - that would be some tough PR after the televised suicide that opens the film.

"Last Boy Scout" is an obnoxious, vulgar-tempered, nasty bit of business. It assumes that violence is all that is needed to survive in this corrupt society, and women are nothing but whores, unless they
intervene in violent situations. That is not to say that there aren't some notable one-liners strewn throughout. And certainly Willis and Wayans convince us of their charisma, particularly director Tony Scott's penchant for extreme close-ups with a telephoto lens. And the film has
enough action to satisfy any trigger-happy action fan. But it also has a cartoonish villain who rises from a pool after crashing his car into it, especially after we assume he's dead. It has Wayans thrown off a bridge and only getting a minor concussion. There is a truly tasteless finale at a football game involving chopper blades and Willis dancing a jig! The movie is well-made and a solid effort but it will leave you with a very sour taste in your mouth.