ROYCE
US, 1994, 93 minutes, Colour.
James Belushi, Miguel Ferrer, Peter Boyle, Chelsea Field.
Directed by Rod Holcomb.
Royce is partly serious, mostly comic, a spoof of the James Bond films. James Belushi would not be an immediate choice for a top and successful secret agent. We see him in Bosnia at the opening of the film, daringly (but probably too easily) rescuing hostages. When his company is disbanded by a senator focusing on budget cuts, a colleague organises the ex-members of the group to kidnap his son, get information about a train journey with nuclear warheads and plan to abduct these and sell them. Miguel Ferrer is quite callously sinister as the leader of this renegade group.
However, Belushi (looking like Bill Murray and speaking comic asides like Murray) is sent to combat them, almost single-handed, and get back the senator's son.
A combination of wisecracks, action which is serious and action which is comic, the film anticipates such nuclear films as The Peacemaker and The Sum of All Fears.
1. Popular spoof of James Bond films? Popularity of the Bond films, the Bond character - and enjoyment of the send-up?
2. Bosnia, Washington, Ukraine - the atmosphere of eastern Europe in the early 90s? The cold war over, renegade KGB cashing in on selling warheads? The peace arrangements between the US and the USSR, the reaction of the old brigade in both countries?
3. The action sequences, chases, explosions, fights? Successful on the action level?
4. The film on the comic level, Belushi's appearance, weight, action, success, failures, his shrewdness, his being captured? His saving the day?
5. The character of Royce, unable to commit to his wife, yet their friendship and her coming to bail him out of jail? His flirtatious attitude in the Bond manner? His being rejected? Playing chess with the boy? His relationship to Huggins, his work, success? His seemingly doing things easily, telling everyone he was a secret agent? His being approached by Gribbin, his refusal, the official being shot dead at his door instead of himself? His friend being killed? His going to Huggins after being released from jail on suspicion of murder and Huggins disowning him? His going to the Ukraine, the woman agent and her later betrayal? Overhearing information, getting captured, with the senator's boy? His commitment to the senator? On the train, the nuclear warheads, his fight with Gribbin, Danny and his shrewd thinking? The final achievement, giving back his son to the senator and giving the son a lecture on love for the father?
6. Gribbin, the renegades, their action in the cold war, lacking moral perspective but merely the love of action? His control, killing his opponents? The abduction of the son, shooting the wife? Going to the Ukraine, the plans, his ruthlessness? The deal with the Russians? The achievement of his plot, the helicopter, Royce putting the explosive in his pocket? The portrait of renegade agents?
7. Huggins, genial, heading up Washington office? The procedures, following the rules - especially at the end over the phone and Royce not listening? The Senate, the budget cuts, the senator retiring for family reasons, not being arrested?
8. A combination of entertaining action and entertaining light heartedness?
