BLOWN AWAY

US, 1994, 121 minutes, Colour.
Jeff Bridges, Tommy Lee Jones, Lloyd Bridges, Suzy Amis, Forest Whitaker.
Directed by Stephen Hopkins.

Blown Away is a terrorist thriller directed by Stephen Hopkins (Nightmare on Elm Street 6, Lost in Space, Predator 2). The film takes its audiences back to Northern Ireland and the clashes amongst terrorists there. It then transports the problems to Boston, with Jeff Bridges as an expert and Tommy Lee Jones as a colleague who wants to destroy him. The film shows their cat-and-mouse manoeuvres and chases, the risks of terrorists, the impact of bombings.

The film also stars Lloyd Bridges, who has quite a few scenes with his son, and Forest Whitaker.

While the film was not so successful at the box office, it has two of the 90s popular stars in confrontation with each other in a dramatic and dangerous setting. It has quite some appeal as an entertaining action thriller.

1.Entertaining police and action show of the '90s? Its impact as a police action drama? Confrontation with terrorists, terrorist activity? The IRA, Irish sympathies and the US?

2.The Irish locations, the opening sequences in the castle? The contrast with contemporary Boston, the streets, homes, public buildings, public events? The musical score and the songs - especially the background of the Irish songs?

3.The title, its meaning and tone?

4.The introduction to Gaerity? The castle, the prisoner coming from isolation, in the cell with Gaerity, the deal for the escape, Gaerity betraying and killing him, Gaerity's meticulous preparation, the explosion and his escape?

5.The contrast with Jimmy, the Boston background, his relationship with Kay and Lizzie, Lizzie's birthday and the celebrations? Seeing him at work, his dedication? Working with the team? The case of the woman and the bombs with the computer, his keeping her calm, the tension, his resolving the situation? His appearing as a hero on television?

6.Jimmy and his desire to finish his work? The preparation for the wedding, the celebration? The marriage night, the call, his watching for Blanket? The impact of the explosion? The investigation, the initial confrontation with Anthony? His restlessness and wanting to be back at work?

7.His giving of the lectures, the clash with Anthony, the issue of the mine? His blaming Anthony for Blanket's death? Their discussions together, going to the site of the explosion, the theories about what happened?

8.Anthony, his background, his being blamed initially for what went wrong? His shrewdness, partnership with Jimmy? His being filmed by Gaerity on his jogging?

9.The explosion on the wedding night, Blanket and his death? The further explosions, the centre of the city, the bus? The deaths of the police? The theorising about what had happened, how it happened and why?

10.Gaerity and his presence in Boston, at the bar and his joviality, watching the TV, seeing Jimmy? His cruelty, his plot against the police, the motivation of revenge? The death of Blanket? His buying the toy for the child and yet his intentions? Killing the two police in the explosion in the trolley bus? The phone call to Jimmy, the revelation of the past, his anger, the story of the two of them working together, Jimmy's behaviour, his wanting vengeance? The visit to Kay and Lizzie, the kite, his kindness - yet wiring their four-wheel drive with the explosives?

11.Jimmy and his Irish background, Liam? The bomb, the deaths, his responsibility, his being young and innocent and not wanting to be involved in terrorism? The information coming through about Liam, Anthony's discovering it? The episode with Anthony and the bomb in the headphones, his saving his life? Anthony realising who he was?

12.Max and his continued support, retirement from the police, in the bar, recognising Gaerity, going to phone, his being tied up with explosives, his reflection on his life, his willing his death?

13.The attempts to find Gaerity, the search of the warehouse? The fight with Gaerity? Anthony saving Jimmy? The ultimate explosions?

14.The Boston Pops, the performance, Kay? The getting in the car, the brake failing, Jimmy and the pursuit, the danger, saving Kay and Lizzie? Their future together?

15.Kay, her love for Jimmy, her not knowing him, the sequence when she and Lizzie went into the house and audiences saw the many opportunities for explosions? At the beach and the encounter with Gaerity? Going away, the return, wanting to take a stand? The final climax?

16.A film about police, heroics, dedication? Terrorism? Terrorist issues of Ireland and the US in the 1990s?