SILENT TRIGGER
US, 1996, 90 minutes, Colour.
Dolph Lundgren, Gina Bellman, Conrad Dunn.
Directed by Russell Mulcahy.
Silent Trigger is a brief but rather glum and brutal assassination thriller. Set in an unknown location, a futuristic city after a war, two assassins who have worked together during the war come together again. As during the war, the main assassin does not shoot at the target. During the war they were pursued by their control, a helicopter trying to destroy them. In the new situation, the control poses as a security guard in the deserted building where the female assassin is threatened by the co-security guard (absolutely brutal and high on cocaine) and is defended by Dolph Lundgren, the principal assassin.
Needless to say, the control is destroyed and the two assassins decide to lead a better life.
Direction is by Australian Russell Mulcahy, director of Razorback and a number of thrillers in the United States including Ricochet and The Shadow. In 2001 he moved more upscale in his film choices with Swimming Upstream, starring Geoffrey Rush and Judy Davis.
1. Action thriller? Dolph Lundgren thriller?
2. The war setting, the building and the assassination point, the rally with the politician, the contrast with peace time, the modernistic building, the assassination set-up? Musical score?
3. The title and the reference to paid assassins? The background of the assassins, their choice of work? Eagle One and his comments about focusing, not knowing names and faces? The paid assassins, their controls, the counter-assassins? The final confrontation?
4. The opening, Eagle One, his reminiscences about working with Eagle Two, the set-up, the baby with the politician, his not shooting, Eagle Two being ordered to kill him, her not doing it? The escape, the pursuit by the helicopter, his saving her? Her using the radio connection? Going on their separate ways?
5. The new situation, his entry into the building, her cover and getting in past the security guards? Her being threatened by the cocaine-sniffing guard, the scenes of violent brutality against her? Her being rescued, his being handcuffed to the toilet, his escape, being killed by the other security guard?
6. The control, his shooting his fellow security guard, the confrontation with Eagle One and shooting him, backing down from Eagle Two, the explosives in the lift-well?
7. The new assassination attempt, the alternate assassins, the attack on the building, the shooting of Eagle One - and his wearing protective gear? His relationship with Eagle Two, her not shooting him, their going off together?
