THE LAST BOY SCOUT

US, 1991, 105 minutes, Colour.
Bruce Willis, Damon Wayans, Chelsea Field, Halle Berry.
Directed by Tony Scott.

The Last Boy Scout was written by Shane Black, writer of Lethal Weapon. It was directed by Tony Scott (Beverly Hills Cop 2, Top Gun, Days of Thunder). It stars Bruce Willis, very well known for the Die Hard movies. In fact, this movie is something of a "Die Lethaler".

The film is a reworking of Lethal Weapon, the teaming of black and white, the world of cynicism and bitterness, the world of political corruption - and, despite the cynicism, the last boy scouts of America try to do the right thing.

The film is quite violent, crass in its language, macho in many of its attitudes. However, the intricacies of the plot, the characterisations by Bruce Willis and Damon Wayans, the witty screenplay overcome a lot of the difficulties in the violent impact of the film. (And the hero's daughter watches Lethal Weapon at home of TV!)

The film is set in the world of professional football - but it also involves California politics, senate committees, gambling and the Mob. The film is typical of the hard action features of the late '80s and early '90s.

1.Interesting and enjoyable action film, thriller? Tough? Glossy style and production?

2.The background of Lethal Weapon, Top Gun, Die Hard - and the tough and violent style?

3.The world of professional football, the clubs, the seedy parts of the cities, homes, political background? The world of Los Angeles? Real/unreal? The musical score, songs?

4.How justified the violence of the screenplay? The initial killing on the football field? Joe and his seemingly callous attitude towards life and death? The violent murders and attacks? Milo and his mania? Assassinations? The car chases? The language? Justified or gratuitous? Stunt violence or real violence?

5.The opening football match, the video clip style? The rain, the owner being interviewed by the media, discussions about the sport? The champion, his phone call? The strategies of the match, his taking drugs, his shooting his opponents, shooting himself?

6.The introduction to Joe Hallenbeck? Asleep in the car, the kids and the rat, his reaction? Burnt out, private eye work? Contacts with Mike - and a new job? Going home, Sarah's behaviour, criticisms of his daughter? Finding Mack in the closet? The sense of betrayal? Mike's car exploding? His background as a security guard, upright and clean-cut? With President Carter, saving his life? His work with the senator, the senator's sadistic brutality towards the woman, punching him, sacked? His becoming cynical, yet a boy scout at heart?

7.On the job, going to the restaurant, the striptease, the meeting with Corey? The exotic atmosphere? Encounter with Jimmy? His being attacked, the shrewdness of his escape? His sardonic humour - it enabling the assassin to be distracted? The death of Corey? The meeting with Jimmy, going to jail, the interviews? Suspicions about Mike's death? Police suspecting Joe? His creating bonds with Jimmy, having admired him as a sportsman? Taking him home, the encounter with the daughter and her rudeness? Jimmy going to the bathroom, taking drugs - and being ousted by Joe? The disillusionment of the hero? Jimmy's autograph for Darian and his referring to Joe as the last boy scout?

8.Jimmy, the football background, the presentation of the footballers and their lifestyle, the parties after the match, the big money, the phone calls, the bribes? The brutality of the footballer to the woman in the spa? Jimmy's reaction? The story of the death of his wife and child? His own injuries, drugs and pain, being ousted?

9.The senator, the advertising, Joe and his abusive phone calls? The owner of the team, his plush lifestyle? Senate committee, having the members in his pocket, his interviews with the media? His thugs?

10.Milo, the thugs, their treatment of Joe, his violent reaction back - even killing them with a hit? Marcone and his attitude towards Joe? The plan for the assassination attempt on the senator?

11.The set-up, photographing Joe, the senator's driver? The meeting in the woods? Jimmy and his getting his friends to find addresses? Going to the senators? Finding Darian - with the gun? Their going together, following Joe? Jimmy being caught? Darian innocently walking up with the gun and giving it to her father? The escape, her being taken and held by Milo and then by Marcone? The chase - and the crash into the pool? Milo escaping and pursuing Joe and Jimmy?

12.The stunt work with the car chase through Los Angeles? Matter of life and death? Going to the football stadium?

13.The football game, the plan for the assassination, Milo and the set-up? The senator, his media interviews, going to the match? Jimmy riding onto the field - distracting the senator, warning him with the throw, his escaping death? Joe, the pursuit of Milo, the confrontation, the heights, Milo falling to his death - and the helicopter. The switches with the explosives and the money? The confrontation with Marcone in his room, rescuing Darian, Jimmy using the explosives? Marcone killed by opening the case with the explosives rather than the money?

14.Sarah, her relationship with Joe, memories of better times? Lonely, the affair with Mike? Unable to control Darian? Her attitudes, her abruptness with her father, her actually admiring him? The reconciliation and hope for the future?

15.The title, the American style, cynicism about American authorities, corruption and greed? Violence? The future?