FLASHFIRE

US, 1993, 80 minutes, Colour.
Billy Zane, Louis Gosset Jnr.
Directed by Eliot Silverstein.

Flashfire is a fairly routine and brief picture of police corruption. Billy Zane is the intrepid hero. Louis Gosset is smooth as the ultimate villain. The film involves murders, insurance plots, arson. Direction is by veteran Eliot Silverstein (Cat Ballou, The Happening).

1.Interesting police thriller? Variations on a theme?

2.The city setting? Affluent locations, apartment buildings, the streets, hotels? Authentic? Musical score?

3.The title - reference to fires? The criminal element in the police force?

4.Jack and his work, exposing the initial fire, getting the fellow policeman sacked? The second fire, his confrontation of the criminal, rescuing the boy? His being put on criminal research? His personal life, relationship with his father? The sadness at the death of his partner? The reaction of the force? His research, impatience, his phone call from Lisa? Meeting her, the information, taking her home? His sister and the party? Lisa and the information, the death of the informer in the bar? The truth about Durand and Sherwin? The confrontation and the shootout?

5.Durand, the police chief, support of Jack? The irony that he was proved to be corrupt? Agreeing with the murders? His being stunned at the murder, his grief? Sherwin, his part in the investigation, the irony of his being a criminal?

6.The police informer, his committing arson, the boy photographing him, pursuit to the roof?

7.The killers, motivation, killing the policeman in the hotel, the pursuit of Lisa? The shooting in the bar?

8.Police corruption, insurance scams, integrity in the police force, justice?