US Marshals

Starring Tommy Lee Jones, Wesley Snipes and Robert Downey Jr.

After five years, the cop who always gets his man has returned in a spin-off (not sequel) to 1993's The Fugitive. In U.S. Marshals, Tommy Lee Jones is a one-man army hunting a fugitive who this time around is played by Wesley Snipes. Lacking director Andrew Davis, and action hero icon, Harrison Ford, the film is just as riveting as the original but without the heart and soul which made The Fugitive the hit that it was.

The film begins in the present day; Tommy Lee Jones is again hunting down criminals as Chief Deputy Marshal Sam Gerard, and is assisted by his crew, notably his second in command Deputy Cosmo Renfro (Joe Pantoliano), who is reprising his role from The Fugitive. On what should be a routine criminal transport via airplane reminiscent of Con Air, Jones suddenly finds himself in the midst of the most riveting plane crashes ever seen on film. While Jones attempts to ensure that the prisoners are accounted for, Mark Sheridan, played by Wesley Snipes, is mysteriously absent. Snipes commences the familiar quest to clear his name, evading the bad guys and the law at the same time.

Jones, who is addicted to the thrill of hunting soon begins his hunt for Snipes, who is accused of murdering two government agents. Because this case is government related, agent John Royce (Robert Downey Jr.), is assigned to "assist" him, which in this case, means keeping tabs on the operation and acting as a loose canon, incongruent with Jones' strict operational method. The chase starts in the South in the bayou region of Tennessee, which provides an interesting location for a hunt. As Jones learns more about Sheridan's background, the chase shifts to New York City and the United Nations. The audience learns about a tale of foreign conspiracy and secret-selling, in which Snipes is seemingly involved. Plot twists, along with action, chase, and suspense sequences are sewn through each scene with ease, as Snipes must escape his hunters, while simultaneously, figure out who was responsible for framing him.

The action sequences are all well executed, and the editing of each suspense scene is respectable and provides superb pacing for this thriller. Director Stuart Baird, whose only other film was Executive Decision, deserves much credit for his work on creating this solid thriller. Mr. Baird, an editing veteran of the Lethal Weapon, Die-Hard, Superman and other action flicks is an authority when it comes to putting these films together. Tommy Lee Jones, with recognition to a script that paints him in all his eccentric mannerisms, is perfect in his role as Gerard. It should be noted that Jones' bravado and militant charisma are true reminders that he is one of the few remaining Hollywood "tough guys." Clint Eastwood, Charles Bronson and Lee Marvin are too old to take on these iconic roles and there aren't many actors who have this consistent image from picture to picture. Therefore, his well developed persona needs much time in the film to develop itself, as his introduction was in the previous film. US Marshals begins and ends with a nonstop "Tommy Lee Jones routine" that is as integral to the movie as the plot itself.

The remaining cast deserves little praise. Wesley Snipes, who doesn't even need to act much in a film such as this, doesn't hold the mass appeal that a star like Harrison Ford has. Robert Downey Jr. adds nothing interesting to his character, and plays his role like any generic government agent, with bland malice and mundane antagonism. Though Joey Pantoliano is welcoming relief, to a poor supporting actors, in reprising his role as Jones' crony, the inclusion of an entire group of sidekicks which is reminiscent of Twister is superfluous; their purpose is to add a superficial level of humor or to act as the token body-bag fillers.

The story itself is obviously generic, as it is a by-product of its predecessor. However, the new locations as well as the creative orchestration of the perpetual action, force away direct comparison to The Fugitive. The film does lack a segment for emotional release. There is no part in the film that lets Snipes have any chance to reflect on what's happening to him, because this particular film needs to keep moving and establishes a strict pace. The emotional music isn't even there as Jerry Goldsmith only scored for the action sequences, much unlike James Newton Howard's suspenseful and emotionally driven score to The Fugitive. Nevertheless, the film with its tiny flaws is still worthwhile because of Jones' over-the-top performance and it's perfect pace.