METRO

US, 1997, 117 minutes, Colour.
Eddie Murphy, Michael Rapaport, Michael Wincott, Donal Logue.
Directed by Thomas Carter.

Many audiences will be reassured and glad that Eddie Murphy is back in uniform again, this time in San Francisco, but just as fearless as ever (no, even more so) and ever more determined to get the killers. This is formula material so you definitely know what you are going to get, although Michael Wincott, who is often seen as a sneering villain, is also even more so! San Francisco Cop.

1.A popular police thriller? Hostage negotiator? Robbers? Chases?

2.Eddie Murphy in the police role? The background of the Beverly Hills cop? A San Francisco cop? How well does he work as a policeman, negotiator? The blend of the comic and serious?

3.The San Francisco settings, the city, the bay, the bridges, the precincts, shops? Musical score and energy?

4.The focus on Scott Roper, his skills as a negotiator? In the initial example with Earl, going into the bank, Earl and the hostages, their fear? His smooth talk, discussing with Earl, taking the wounded man outside, getting the gun, his mode of acting – performance? Looking in the mirror in the door, shooting Earl? Saving the day? The response of the media? The congratulations of the police?

5.Roper and his work with the police, the officer in charge? The discussion about Kevin McCall? becoming his partner, McCall? lipreading? Their work together, the scenes where Roper instructed him, test cases, role-plays? Their work together, Kevin McCall? as a character, working with Roper, on the final siege, his being wounded?

6.Sam, friendship with Roper, their going to the apartment block, Sam and his discussion with Michael Korda? His being killed? Roper’s reaction? Pursuit? His wanting to be on the case, the intensity of his feeling, the officials forbidding him to be on the case?

7.Scott and his relationship with Veronica, tension? The humour of the dog? Veronica and her relationship with the baseball player? The dangers, their time together, the meal? Her being abducted, her being put on the machine in the factory? The split-second release?

8.Korda, his relationship with his cousin Clarence? The plans, the robberies? Clarence and his getting Korda under suspicion? Korda and the robbery, caught, hostages? Scott and the negotiations? Going back to the officials? The escape, the spectacular car pursuit through San Francisco? His eventually being caught? Korda in jail, discussions with his lawyer, with Clarence?

9.Clarence, the attempt to attack Veronica? In the apartment, the clash, Scott and his arrival? Clarence’s death? His showing the photo to Korda?

10.Korda, the escape from jail? The warehouse? With Veronica? His outwitting Scott? McCall? and his trying to get a shot at Korda? In the car, his finally being shot, crashing? Scott and his releasing Veronica?

11.The spectacular chase, the cars, the San Francisco streets, the cable car, out of control, Scott leaping onto it, the shootings? The car stopping the progress down the hill? The excitement of this kind of action sequence?

12.The happy ending – and Scott going about his work, better relationships?