NOWHERE TO RUN
US, 1993, 94 minutes, Colour.
Jean- Claude Van Damme, Rosanna Arquette, Kieran Culkin, Ted Levine, Edward Blatchford, Joss Ackland.
Directed by Robert Harmon.
Nowhere to Run is an action film of the 1990s, most of the ingredients rather familiar, a woman claiming her own home against the plans of a property entrepreneur, she being a widow with two children, the local sheriff attracted to her, a stranger entering life, defending against attack…
The film is interesting because of its cast, especially for those who like Jean Claude Van Damme, who had made an impact in the 1980s with his action films, “the muscles from Brussels”. At this time he was making a number of popular films with some breakthrough to the mainstream with films like this and Hard Target. Later he was to move into straight to DVD action shows. Rosanna Arquette is the mother, a young Kieran Culkin has a good role as his son, Ted Levine is leering villain and Joss Ackland is the entrepreneur.
The film was directed by Robert Harmon who was to go on to write and direct the Tom Selleck series for television, Jesse Stone
.
1. An action film of the 1990s? Familiar ingredients?
2. Jean- Claude Van Damme action film? Fight sequences? Van Damme and his creating a character? Québec background?
3. The open countryside, the bus and the car, the crash, the escape? Sam in the bus, the transfer, the other prisoners, the guards, his being loosed? With Billy? Driving away, Billy being shot? Sam having been in prison because of Billy?
4. Sam, camping out, the house, the salt shaker? Mookie aware of his presence?
5. Clytie, Mookie and Tiffany, the dead father? The children and their needs? Mookie and his telling stories? Going to visit Sam in the tent, Sam returning the salt shaker? The two children with Sam, his washing in the lake?
6. The development background for the valley, Hale, his company, his henchmen? Unscrupulous? His speech to the town gathering, the opposition – leading to the fire, Sam quenching the fire with the tank water, rescuing the farmer? Hale and the locals? Threats, killing cattle? The arrival of Mr Dunston, with Hale, interviewing Lonnie and his taking the money, the two of clubs? Dunston and his encounter with Sam in the store? The confrontation, sense of menace?
7. Lonnie, local, in the pay of Hale? His relationship with Clytie? Jealousy of Sam? Beating him, cuffing in? Later letting him go?
8. Clytie, seeing Sam fighting with the men attacking, wondering who he was, attracted to him, seeing the children good with him? The night together? The aftermath?
9. Hale and Dunston and the documents for Clytie? Pressurising her to sign?
10. The men on the earth-movers, the gasoline, Sam and his beating them?
11. Dunston, discussions with Sam about his bike, the police, bike leaving, the pursuit, shootings, the destruction of the cars? Sam’s return?
12. The confrontation with Dunston, the attempted shooting? Hale losing his control? His arrest?
13. Sam allowing Lonnie to arrest him, going to prison, accepting responsibility – with the memories of Clytie and the family?
