There are some good elements in this 1997 thriller to make it worth a watch. Very good cast, scenic locations, some good stunts, and lots of trains! Who doesn't love a good thriller involving trains? Give me Silver Streak, Under Siege 2, name it... trains make things better. My issues with Switchback deal with the story, however, and considering it was directed by the man who wrote it, and he had been conceiving it for years, this should have not been the case. The story matters most of all, and I get a little confused with what Switchback is going for. As it thrilling? Some of it is, I guess. Danny Glover and Jared Leto get into some interesting situations, but Dennis Quaid's FBI agent protagonist is a bore. He plays the man in such a wooden fashion, he makes Chuck Norris look like Jack Nicholson at times. Is it a mystery? Not in terms of figuring out who the killer is. The novelization (I think also written by Stuart) did a better job of keeping it a mystery, but the film clearly fingers Danny Glover's character Bob Goodall as the killer from early on. Why did he feel the need to kidnap Quaid's son? Is he trying to get caught but just wanting to have fun with Quaid beforehand? I guess. Why leave any clues at all if you are trying not to be caught? If you ARE trying to get caught, why make them so cryptic that you need to luckily come across an old railroad map to figure them out? I guess, just overall there is not as much action as you'd want in a thriller, and not as much ambiguity as you'd want in a true mystery.
The cast is quite strong. There are plenty of talented people here. Some give strong performances. Quaid does not. Leto was still in the "heart throb" stages of his career, but he isn't bad. R. Lee Ermy was always a welcome sight in a film, but the subplot about his running for re-election as sheriff against William Fichtner goes nowhere. Ted Levine is on hand in a typical assistant cop role (such as in Heat, Wonderland, etc...). The scenery of the American West in wintertime looks as good as ever, and the little bars, diners and railroad worker hangouts give the film some nice atmosphere.
I must also take a moment to single out Danny Glover's performance. Many critics were appalled when it was released that Danny Glover had been cast as a serial killer. He's just too likable, they argued. Yes, the man often played likable characters, but these critics let that blind them when evaluating his performance as Bob. Glover in fact does very well as the genial railroad worker who can turn on a dime and take a victim when he needs to. We have seen Glover as a bad guy before, mostly early in his career. Witness for one, and as an abusive husband in The Color Purple come to mind. But here this is something else. Look at his face (particularly the eyes) any time he pulls out that big knife and advances on someone. His face turns a wicked shade of evil a few times. He convinced me, anyway. And yes, slicing a victim's femoral artery will kill them faster than even a slashed throat. For a killer like Bob who has to quickly and quietly dispose of his victims, it is a good M. O. to use. Overall, I wish this film could have sold the mystery side of things more completely. 6 of 10 stars.
The Hound.
The cast is quite strong. There are plenty of talented people here. Some give strong performances. Quaid does not. Leto was still in the "heart throb" stages of his career, but he isn't bad. R. Lee Ermy was always a welcome sight in a film, but the subplot about his running for re-election as sheriff against William Fichtner goes nowhere. Ted Levine is on hand in a typical assistant cop role (such as in Heat, Wonderland, etc...). The scenery of the American West in wintertime looks as good as ever, and the little bars, diners and railroad worker hangouts give the film some nice atmosphere.
I must also take a moment to single out Danny Glover's performance. Many critics were appalled when it was released that Danny Glover had been cast as a serial killer. He's just too likable, they argued. Yes, the man often played likable characters, but these critics let that blind them when evaluating his performance as Bob. Glover in fact does very well as the genial railroad worker who can turn on a dime and take a victim when he needs to. We have seen Glover as a bad guy before, mostly early in his career. Witness for one, and as an abusive husband in The Color Purple come to mind. But here this is something else. Look at his face (particularly the eyes) any time he pulls out that big knife and advances on someone. His face turns a wicked shade of evil a few times. He convinced me, anyway. And yes, slicing a victim's femoral artery will kill them faster than even a slashed throat. For a killer like Bob who has to quickly and quietly dispose of his victims, it is a good M. O. to use. Overall, I wish this film could have sold the mystery side of things more completely. 6 of 10 stars.
The Hound.