FLASHPOINT

US, 1984, 94 minutes, Colour.
Kris Kristofferson, Treat Williams, Rip Torn, Kevin Conway, Kurtwood Smith, Jean Smart, Tess Harper, Miguel Ferrer, Roberts Blossom, Guy Boyd.
Directed by William Tannen.

Flashpoint is an entertaining conspiracy thriller set in Texas. It has Kris Kristofferson and Treat Williams as buddies in the police force, resisting the experts from Washington with their high technological devices for detection. The film, focuses on drug-running, illegal immigrants on the Mexican border.

However, there is a theme of the Kennedy assassination, the death of the killer and the discovery of his truck and money twenty years later. The film is an enjoyable example of the speculations about the identity of the Kennedy killer.

There are some good action sequences, some tension. The screenplay is by Dennis Shryack and Michael Butler, writers of a number of screenplays for Clint Eastwood (Pale Rider) and Chuck Norris (Code of Silence). The musical score is by Tangerine Dream.

1. Entertaining police thriller? Action thriller? Conspiracy thriller?

2. Mexican border locations, the desert, atmosphere? Towns and cities? Stunts and action sequences? The musical score, songs? Tangerine Dream and their music?

3. The film as a star vehicle for Kris Kristofferson and Treat Williams? The American buddy system? Out west in a contemporary setting?

4. The prologue and 1963: the car, the accident? The Kennedy assassination? Audience memories of conspiracy theories? Memories emerging, Logan and his research? Hypotheses and identity? Wells and the cover-up?

5. Bob and Ernie and their work, lifestyle? Anti-authoritarian stances? The briefings? Slob style? The clash with the authorities, the scanning systems and their introduction, the geo-sensors? Buddies? Relationship with girls? Her their relationship with each other, concern? Out on cases? The border patrol and the immigrants? The discovery of the truck the money? Possibilities? Ernie and his attitude towards keeping the pony? Bib and his caution? Cover, the visit to Wells and the discussion about his situation? Amarillo and the discussions, his death? Their reaction against Carson, the stake-out and its failure? Information and the set-ups? Ernie and principles? His death? Bob and his reaction? The scanning but his confronting the agents? Sheriff Wells and the truth? Bob on the move? The portrait of Bob and Ernie as police? As men of action, principle?

6. Their girlfriends, attraction, pick-up, relationships? Ellen and her helping?

7. Sheriff Wells and his memories, Texas Ranger confined to the town, cover-ups, letting Bob go at the end?

8. Amarillo and his caravan, knowledge of planes, information, his death and the destruction of his house?

9. Carson and his Washington style, technology, the set-ups, the plane and the breaking of cover, the patrol, his engineering Ernie's death, the conspiracy, cover-up, the final shoot-out?

10. The film interesting as showing police at their work, relationships, skills, letting off steam, matters of life and death?

11. The plausibility of the film as a conspiracy theory actioner? The memory of the Kennedy assassination?

12. A satisfying blend of action and ideas?