Tango and Cash (1989)

This is pretty good for what it is-Stallone and Russell's take off of Lethal Weapon. Stallone does a pretty good job being the low key guy here, Russell the loose cannon, there are gun fights, fights, escapes, the great prison getaway, fun byplay between the two leads, oodles of belief suspending needed and scads of stunt doubles used all through here.

My memory is mostly of Sly in the glasses, the Pickup from Hell, a lotta car chases and a real 'this is a spoof' air to it all.

Palance chews the scenery, Brion James does his usual good villain work....what more could you want?

*** outta ****, you get what you pay for here, and a little extra...

Fmovies: Tango and Cash is one of those films that people can get a huge amount of enjoyment out of when taking it for what it is, or there will be others who'll find it not to their taste. From personal taste, there are a number of shortcomings but I cannot bring myself to hate it.

Pros:

It's stylishly made, if very 80s, and competently directed, nothing comes over as amateurish. The soundtrack does pulsate with energy and is easy to remember, if a little intrusive in places(not that that is uncommon in action films). The script is snappy and delivered like dynamite, the banter between Stallone's Tango and Kurt Russell's Cash is a lot of fun. The story on the whole while very silly and predictable but it doesn't really ever become dull and it is easy to follow, the standout scenes being the opening, which is one of those scenes that sets things up so well it makes one excited for what will happen next and the brilliant prison escape, the prison scenes in general are among the better scenes in the film actually. The action, while very over-the-top, is decently edited, cool and endearingly kitsch without feeling too much. Sylvester Stallone is charismatic and effectively low-key and shows that he is at ease in the action scenes, his comic timing while much criticised in general is pretty good here, while Kurt Russell is a witty, soulful partner, the two of them being a well-matched pair. It is not everyday where you see Russell in drag, don't worry it is not as weird as it sounds.

Cons:

Tango and Cash does have problems. The biggest problem is that it falls apart in the final 10 minutes, an ending so disappointing that it's easy to bring the film down more than one notch. It loses the energy that the rest of the film has and it goes well overboard in the silliness factor, with the slapsticky final fight feeling out of kilter. The main villain Perrett's comeuppance is also very anti-climatically handled. Teri Hatcher is probably at her sexiest here but her acting feels vapid. More problematic are the villains, here are very stereotypically written(especially Perrett, the drugs baron stereotype has been done a number of times and nothing interesting is done here) and only Brion James, here looking as if he is having so much fun, is memorable. You'd think that Jack Palance, a master of suavity, deadpan and intimidating menace, would be, but here he gives one of his weakest performances but it is not helped by that he is very underused and that he is the most clichéd character in the whole film. Palance was a great actor, and excelled better than most in villain roles but this is a portrayal where he does try way too hard that he's almost pantomimic, it also manages to be quite bland compared to his usual standard. His henchmen are even more blandly written, and sees James Hong in a rare completely uninvolved performance.

All in all, won't work for some and it is a long way from flawless but still incredibly entertaining and has a good deal of charm. Don't expect sophistication, anything new or depth, you'll be disappointed. In its defence though Tango and Cash never strived to be that kind of film. But if you are looking for an enjoyable, switch-your-brain-off-at-the-door film, there is a good deal to like. 6/10 Bethany Cox

This masterpiece of Americana is perhaps the Greatest film ever made. The amalgamation of Sylvester Stallone's sheer magnetism, and Kurt Russell's commanding stage presence, has yielded a sonnet the likes of which all Films aspire to be. Stallone portrays "Raymond 'Ray' Tango" a highly decorated narcotics detective from Beverly Hills, who penchant for the stock market, has granted him not only the finer things in life but also a means to express his sophisticated nature and aspirations of financial independence. Stallone masterfully shows the dichotomy of a character who is highly educated and well mannered, yet is beset in a cesspool of crime and depravity, Tango yearns for a better society yet will not rest on his laurels of law and order. "Gabriel 'Gabe' Cash" portrayed by the immaculate Kurt Russell, is the antipodean of Stallone's level headed Tango. Cash is pugnacious, assertive, and zealous yet his diligence to enforce law and order at all cost define this tortured soul. Although this crass inner city detective has a disheveled appearance and tough exterior he is simply trying to hide his true feelings and desires for true love in an otherwise barbaric society.

The story begins as these two rival officers are competing for the title of LA's best cop. Although their methods and approaches differ, their goals are the same; to imprison Yves Perret a diabolical drug lord who catches wind of the duos escapades. With his Criminal Empire in danger of being toppled, Perret masterfully played by Jack Pallance, enacts his plan to destroy the two. In an act of carnal malevolence he frames them for the murder of an undercover FBI agent. Perret's corruption and debauchery know no bounds, as he weaves a duplicitous web of conspiracy the likes of which have not been seen since the Warren Commission. Evidence is tampered, so-called experts bribed, and in an attempt to save their lives, Tango and Cash agree to a plea bargain, under the guise that they will be sent to a Minimum Security prison, not amongst the general population. Perret then has them sent to a Maximum Security faculty amongst inmates that have been jailed by the two supercops, in an attempt to have them assassinated. Tango and Cash must then set aside their petty differences and discover the true meaning of friendship to escape the prison to clear their once proud names, and stop Perret once and for all, in a conclusion that will rattle even the sternest of men.

The chemistry between Stallone and Russell is reminiscent of Redford and Newman, if not greater, with snide remarks being made by both parties. The action, adventure, and violence are non-stop, yet the humanity of the characters is prevalent throughout the film, adding a much needed dimension to an otherwise cliché and tired genre. Tango is not just a mindless cop, he is multidimensional protagonist, who hearkens to the days of Bogart and Cary Grant. Cash desires the admiration of a women to complete himself, which he finds in Catherine "kiki" Tango, he is not simply a generic action hero who shoots guns and makes wise ass remarks, Cash has a quintessence and Russell pours his soul into the character.

All in all this film is the crowning achievement of Stallone and Russell and the Hollywood film industry. It is a cut of history, when master Artisans the like of Russell and Stallone are brought together at their peak with visionaries leading them to produce what is their destinyÂ…Â…..FUBAR!!!!!!!!!

Tango and Cash fmovies. Tango is a smooth cop who dresses like a banker, deals in stocks and shares but loves the action. Cash is a rough and ready action man who lives life fast and dirty but is a better cop for it. Each man serves on opposite sides of the LA and both are thorns in the side of crime kingpin Yves Perret – accountable for losing him millions in seized drugs and weapons. Rather than just have them killed, Perret sets them both up for the murder of an undercover cop supposedly in a sting operation. With all the evidence against them they cop a plea for minimum-security sentence – which they don't get. With a violent and angry welcome for them, Tango and Cash decide they need to escape soon or be carried out – plus, bringing down Perret is now their sole focus.

Although I know just what this film was going to be like, I thought I'd try to give it a chance and watch it again with a fresh pair of eyes. Nothing about the plot summary would lead you to expect anything other than a clichéd action movie and all that comes with it. And that is almost exactly what you get with this. The plot is predictable and really you are just watching it go through the motions and do just what you expect it to at almost every stage. The action is typically over-the-top and lacking the touch of realism that is usually needed to make it really engaging and exciting – instead it is noisy and overblown, managing to be quite fun but certainly not gripping or involving. The character dynamics are also clichéd – it is love/hate, bantering, mismatched cops stuff but ironically it actually works pretty well. The main reason for this is that the script shows that at least Feldman wasn't taking it too seriously – the dialogue allows both to mock each other and stops them settling into their macho images too much.

Happily both Stallone and Russell buy into it and let themselves be made fun of as much as they get to give it. Neither are brilliant but at least they seem to have got the joke and avoid playing it too straight or just going along with the macho clichés. Of course they eventually get back to basics and (along with the film) eventually just gets down to big bangs and action movie traditions but for the majority of the film they just about do enough to make it fun – albeit fun in a silly, rather guilty way. Hatcher doesn't add a great deal but it is interesting to see how good she looked then and how well she has aged in the past 15 or so years. Palance hams it up something awful and is a little painful to watch – but he is matched by equally poor bad guys from James, Hong and a few others. Pollard does his usual stuff and is typical comic relief.

Overall this is a dumb action movie and if you hate that type of film then you will hate this. I must admit that, by the end, the sheer cheesy stupidity of the whole thing had started to grate on me somewhat but up till that point it had been silly and quite fun. The amusing banter is one plus and at least Stallone and Russell aren't taking it too seriously for the most part and provide enough to stop it being a totally predictable genre film – even if it is a close run thing.

It looks to me like everyone was having one rollicking good time making Tango&Cash. This is the kind of film that you have to take as seriously as an Indiana Jones adventure. After all their can be only one Indy.

But in this case we've a pair of cowboy cops who work in different parts of Los Angeles. Sylvester Stallone as Ray Tango and Kurt Russell as Gabe Cash are certainly known to each other however due to the headlines they've gathered smashing various criminal enterprises. They're also known to master criminal Jack Palance the Professor Moriarty of the film and he's rigged one elaborate plan for their disgrace and downfall and death.

As much as Stallone and Russell are enjoying spoofing their own action images, this film is absolutely stolen by Jack Palance. With tongue firmly in cheeking and hands twirling some imaginary mustache ends in the best Snidely Whiplash tradition, Palance is having a ball with his part.

Of course even when they're in the worst of trouble there's still that oneupsmanship that Russell and Stallone can't shake. And when Russell shows an interest in Teri Hatcher whom he later finds out is Stallone's sister, things could really have gotten interesting if it weren't for the joint problems they both were having.

When you watch this film, do not for one instant take it seriously and I guarantee a real hoot.

Back in the 80's, kitsch cinema had two main sections - gory horror movies and daft action films, of which this film obviously fits into the latter. While the gory horror movies of the eighties often lacked credibility, that section of kitsch movies beats the daft action films because of the much higher content of inventiveness; but more often than not, the daft action movies make for good entertainment, even if they're somewhat less than brilliant. Tango and Cash is a notable action movie because it stars two of the eighties most popular action stars - Sylvester Stallone and Kurt Russell, whose antagonistic partnership makes up the core of this movie. The plot device to get the maverick cops to work together is hardly important, but nevertheless it follows the two as a corrupt state buys into a plot by a criminal kingpin to land them both in jail, which promptly sees our hero's in with the masses of criminals they themselves have sent to the clink. As you can imagine, they're not the most well liked of inmates. Especially not by 'Maniac Cop' himself, Robert Z'Dar...

The action in the movie comes thick and fast and this, when combined with the one-liner packed script make the movie feel more like a parody than a serious take on the genre. This is all good, however, as this movie is pure entertainment, and seeing two of the 80's hottest action stars fire off silly dialogue at one another is a treat to say the least. The action is over the top, and we get to watch our hero's do such things as slide down electrical cables and drive a souped up SUV around an explosion packed warehouse, and it makes for great entertainment. Of course, what the movie packs in action and snappy dialogue, it lacks in other areas such as credibility and depth; but nobody tunes into a kitschy 80's action movie for plot depth and sophistication, so blaming the movie for not offering these things is ridiculous. On the whole, if you're after a good two hours of solid action fare, you could certainly do a lot worse than Tango and Cash. This movie packs a lot of punch, delivered by two strong leading men. Thumbs up!