COLD STEEL

US, 1987, 91 minutes, Colour.
Brad Davis, Jonathan Banks, Sharon Stone, Adam Ant.
Directed by Dorothy Ann Puzo.

Cold Steel is a revenge thriller with a Los Angeles police setting. It was directed by Dorothy Puzo - and is interesting for a woman's perspective on the police thriller, car chase, violent American thriller. The film indulges the violence and sensation at times, especially car chases and the crashing of cars on a racecourse.

Brad Davis is a brash young policeman whose father is murdered. He sets out to avenge his father's death. Ultimately, his search brings him up against a former friend, played with sinister relish by Jonathan Banks. Sharon Stone is the feminine lead - and there is a twist in her character halfway through.

The film shows the police at work, the camaraderie amongst the police, the pressures. It also highlights the drug-dealing world of Los Angeles. While the film is predictable and entertaining in this routine way, it has some brutal touches.

1.Entertaining thriller? Police? Vengeance? Los Angeles? Drug world?

2.Los Angeles settings, homes, the streets, the dealers? Stunt work and special effects? Musical score?

3.The title, its tone, Isaac killing Johnny's father, knives, Isaac's injury, the final confrontation with Johnny?

4.The opening, the celebration amongst the friends, the photo, the passing of five years? The ironies? The confrontation with the gang, Johnny's flashback memories and explanations to Cathy? The drinking, the friends, the fight with the gang, Isaac's assertiveness, Cathy's brother's death, Johnny being injured, Isaac's throat wounded, their survival? Isaac's enmity, his explanation of the incident, blaming Johnny and getting revenge?

5.Johnny and his partner, effective work, trigger-happy? Patrol, investigations, drugs? Watching the fish man, his clients, his death? Johnny and his relationship with his family, his mother, father, the phone call, his father's death? Going to the psychologist? His angers, superiors, his violent outbursts and bashing of suspects in the jail, being suspended? His drinking, the friendship with Kathy, falling in love with her? The contrast in moods, his puzzle? Going to see her, her pointing the gun at him, the telling of the truth? Getting help from his colleagues? The build-up to the confrontation with Isaac, the fight, Isaac's death? Saving Kathy? The conventional policeman, pressures, vengeance?

6.Isaac as villain, the iceman, sinister, with Mick, the violent robbery, killing Johnny's father? The drug frenzy? Mick and his assistants, arrested, Isaac killing the fish man? His brutality? Brutality with the knife? His obsession with his own injury? Pressurising Kathy, turning her against Johnny? Kidnapping her, drawing Johnny on, the confrontation, the desperate fight, his death? The ugly underworld of Los Angeles? The cop gone bad? Victim of his own aggressiveness?

7.The police force, Johnny and his work with his partner, their friendship, sharing experiences, on the job? The daring, the initial competition, the timing, daredevil and the car over the train? The chase and the violence of the chase?

8.The drug world, the fish man, his connections and customers?

9.Kathy, her story, meeting Johnny, the seduction, her hesitation, her brother's death, turning the gun on him, his telling the truth, Isaac making her victim, the rescue?

10.Familiar material? Original touches? Entertaining police thriller?