TANGO AND CASH. Directed by Andrei Konchalovsky; written hy Randy Feldman, produced by Jon Peters and Peter Guber. Starring Sylvester Stallone and Kurt Russell. Rated R.
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The amazing ability of Hollywood to turn out an inexhaustible array of cop/buddy pictures is enough to leave the poor moviegoer exhausted.
Here is yet another.
This one is better than some, certainly, with its stars capable of witty banter amongst the automatic weapons fire, the cleverly demolished vehicles and the rest of the general mayhem. But despite the likability of the buddies and their entertaining interaction, Tango and Cash brings us nothing new.
There's no reason for moviegoers who aren't fans of this type of picture to give this one a try. Those who are, on the other hand, won't want to miss it.
The action is fast-paced, violent, well-choreographed and exciting. It's entertaining enough that it doesn't really matter too much that we know how it will all turn out.
The villians are good, especially Brion James, who plays a thug whose weapon of choice is a straight razor, and several of the inmates who try to wipe out the good guys in prison.
This is Tango and Cash's one twist on the formula. The boys are set up by arch-bad guy Jack Palance (who took up where he left off in Batman) and are sent to the Big House, where, naturally, scores of slimeballs that they put away are hungry for revenge. Our heroes' daring escape from their clutches is one of the movie's highlights.
Un-original as they are, it's hard not to like Tango (Stallone) and Cash (Russell). They're hip, supercompetent, and never at a loss for a snappy comeback. They work well together, too, not just as cops, but as actors.
Stallone's career won't suffer a bit from Tango and Cash. And Russell's, already soaring after the not-quite-buddy picture Tequila Sunrise, should also profit.
January 10, 1990