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Excessive Force

Play trailer Excessive Force R 1993 1h 27m Action Play Trailer Watchlist
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20% Tomatometer 5 Reviews 36% Popcornmeter 1,000+ Ratings
Chicago policeman Terry McCain (Thomas Ian Griffith) is determined to put away mobster Sal DiMarco (Burt Young), who always gets acquitted on technicalities. While monitoring a drug sale, a shootout ensues, and one of Terry's fellow officers gets away with $3 million of Sal's money. Suspecting Terry took the cash, the mobster sends his men to kill Terry's brother, Dylan (Tom Hodges), and partner, Frankie Hawkins (Tony Todd). Furious, Terry sets out to take his revenge by any means necessary.

Critics Reviews

View All (5) Critics Reviews
Dennis Schwartz Dennis Schwartz Movie Reviews Succeeding only in living up to the brutal expectations of its title by delivering the goods. Rated: B_ Feb 29, 2016 Full Review Chuck O'Leary Fantastica Daily Rated: 2/5 Aug 11, 2005 Full Review Emanuel Levy EmanuelLevy.Com Rated: 2/5 Aug 1, 2005 Full Review Scott Weinberg eFilmCritic.com The movie that failed to turn Griffith into the next big action star. Rated: 1/5 Jul 25, 2002 Full Review James Berardinelli ReelViews Rated: 0.5/4 Jan 1, 2000 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Audience Member Definitely a so bad it's good movie. Definitely Thomas Ian Griffith trying to align himself with action stars like Segal, Van Damme and the like. Needless to say it didn't work. The good parts are seeing the supporting cast like James Earl Jones, Tony Todd and Burt young and the types of roles they have them playing. It's Griffith that doesn't work here he's not gruff enough to play this kind of part he's just not the right man for the job. Highlights of the movie is seeing Burt Young playing a mafia godfather and James Earl Jones playing saxophone. And no matter how many high kicks Griffith throws and there are many he just can't land the performance that's needed for a gritty cop action movie. Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars 02/11/23 Full Review Audience Member Cliched maverick cop thriller. It's not great, but is a great example of a lower-budget film from this genre from the early 90's era, including the constantly dramatic soundtrack that would only be used for parody nowadays. Rated 2 out of 5 stars 02/06/23 Full Review Audience Member Pretty good film about a cop battling a mobster and police corruption. James Earl Jones shows up for a cup of coffee to add credibility to the cast. Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars 02/13/23 Full Review Audience Member Starring, written, and produced by Terry Silver. Rated 2 out of 5 stars 02/10/23 Full Review Audience Member Very very bad. Unoriginal, predictable plot, what little there is. Lame, paint-by-number direction. Wooden acting (what was James Earl Jones thinking, being in this? - clearly he needed the money). Even the production values are appalling - the movie looks like it was made in the 1950s, not 1993. Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars 01/20/23 Full Review Audience Member A cop with a short fuse lets personal vendetta get in the way of good old-fashioned police work (described by the judge as excessive force). Griffin is adequate but not the next action superstar as hyped. Helped out by supporting presence of Lance Henrikson and James Earl Jones. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 02/24/23 Full Review Read all reviews
Excessive Force

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Excessive Force

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Movie Info

Synopsis Chicago policeman Terry McCain (Thomas Ian Griffith) is determined to put away mobster Sal DiMarco (Burt Young), who always gets acquitted on technicalities. While monitoring a drug sale, a shootout ensues, and one of Terry's fellow officers gets away with $3 million of Sal's money. Suspecting Terry took the cash, the mobster sends his men to kill Terry's brother, Dylan (Tom Hodges), and partner, Frankie Hawkins (Tony Todd). Furious, Terry sets out to take his revenge by any means necessary.
Director
Jon Hess
Producer
Erwin Stoff, Thomas Ian Griffith, Oscar L. Costo
Screenwriter
Thomas Ian Griffith
Production Co
3 Arts Entertainment, New Line Cinema, Ian Page Productions
Rating
R
Genre
Action
Original Language
English
Box Office (Gross USA)
$1.1M
Runtime
1h 27m
Sound Mix
Surround