The Fugitive (1993)

Roy Huggins' original 1960s TV series gets reinvented for the big screen, with engaging results. The premise is that an esteemed vascular surgeon, Richard Kimble (Harrison Ford), is tried and convicted for the murder of his wife Helen (Sela Ward, in a pretty thankless role), despite his claims that he'd tussled with the REAL killer, a one-armed man (Andreas Katsulas). On his way to prison, Kimble seizes a chance to escape, and takes it on the lam. Naturally, he's determined to solve the crime, but almost always manages to stay one step ahead of the equally determined Federal marshal (Tommy Lee Jones) on his trail.

While the story is not a great one (and won't bear a lot of scrutiny), it's still a solidly entertaining one. Director Andrew Davis ("Code of Silence", "Under Siege") does a masterful job of directing this chase thriller, guiding us towards some pretty impressive set pieces, such as an amazing bus crash / train wreck, and a VERY long dive off of a dam. Davis and company hit the ground running, and even though their film runs two hours and 11 minutes, the pacing never drags. Every scene serves a purpose, and commands ones' attention. Great music by James Newton Howard and superb location shooting in Chicago are all part of the slick and stylish package.

Of course, one of the most compelling facets to the film is the cat and mouse game between two very strong personalities, and both Ford and the Oscar winning Jones are extremely well cast. Not all of the supporting actors & actresses get a lot to do (Julianne Moore is only around for one section of the story), but the other roles are also nicely cast: Joe Pantoliano, Jeroen Krabbe (in a role originally intended for the late Richard Jordan), Daniel Roebuck, L. Scott Caldwell, Tom Wood, Ron Dean, real life Chicago cop Joe Kosala, etc. Jane Lynch can be seen in one of her earliest film roles.

"The Fugitive" holds up pretty well almost 25 years later. It's just good, straightforward entertainment all around.

Eight out of 10.

Fmovies: The Fugitive is the biggest heart-pounding thriller I have seen in a while (and the best one this decade). The story revolves around Dr. Richard Kimble, played by Harrison Ford to pythagorean procision. Kimble is accused of killing his wife and is chased all over Chicago by Marshalls while looking for his wife's one armed killer. One of these Marshalls is Samuel Gerarg (Tommy Lee Jones terrific and Oscar nod performance) who after a while believes he is innocent.

Spectacularly done in the tradition of crime/drama thrillers with Ford and Jones working better together than ever before. I found this film to be the best film experience of the early 90's, and hopefully you will too. A++

For a good "chase" film, you can't beat 'The Fugitive'. Not all films taken from TV series manage to make it to the big screen with a style of their own and a story worth telling. Exceptionally fine performances by Harrison Ford and Tommy Lee Jones are the icing on the cake. The picture scores on all levels: photography, music, editing, script and performances. The bus/train crash at the start is a spectacular piece of filmmaking that gets the story off to a good start with powerful urgency. While you're rooting for Ford all the way, as the doctor wrongly accused of the murder of his wife, you sometimes find yourself in the shoes of the crafty, quirky detective with a sense of humor (Tommy Lee Jones) who is relentless in his pursuit. The battle between the pursued and the pursuer is the dominant theme and it is carried off with great wit and style.

As absorbing as any action drama of the '90s. I would have been happy if Harrison Ford, as well as Jones, earned an Oscar for his earnest and highly physical performance. Highly recommended.

The Fugitive fmovies. The Fugitive is a complex thriller with every detail playing a significant role in the outcome of the movie. It's the story of a conspiracy surrounding Dr. Richard Kimble, a surgeon who is on the run while U.S Marshal Samuel Gerard tries to find an explanation of why Kimble was framed for the murder of his wife. The movie has a sticking nature to it, every detail in the actors face will prove that Harrison Ford and Tommy Lee Jones deserve every praise they have received for their performance.

Based on the 1960's Television series, this movie does not disappoint. It makes the watcher want to go back and view the original series to see how it compares.

This is a fine vehicle for Harrison Ford made even more agreeable by a clever, somewhat tongue in cheek performance by Tommy Lee Jones as a US Marshall out to have a good time getting the bad guy, even though the bad guy might not be so bad, and even though that's irrelevant, but hey, don't think so much and get me some coffee and a chocolate donut with those sprinkles on top, ya hear?

This is also a Hollywood producer's orgasmic dream with a chase scene beginning in the first reel and lasting throughout. It is based on the 60s TV show of the same name, but gets its premise from a true crime story, that of Ohioan Dr. Sam Shepherd who actually went to jail for murdering his wife in the 50s. He too claimed to have fought off the real killer, but the forensic evidence and his personality were against him. Here we have Harrison Ford as the good doctor, and it doesn't take a Hollywood genius to tell you that the most popular leading man of the late twentieth century ain't about to play the kind of guy who murders his loving wife.

Ford does a stand-up, competent job, saving lives and patting kids on the head as he plunges through sewers and off the top of a towering waterfall, steals an ambulance, survives a bullet wound and a bus wreck, etc. His fans will be pleased, but Tommy Lee Jones steals the show (and got a Best Supporting Oscar for his trouble) as a clever, wise-cracking good ole boy who has a lot of fun leading the posse. I wonder if he or director Andrew Davis invented the spin because without it, this wouldn't be half so good.

This is not to be confused with, nor is it a remake of The Fugitive from 1947 starring Henry Fonda and directed by John Ford, a cinematic gem of an entirely different sort.

See this for Tommy Lee Jones who has made a career out of turning oh-hum parts into something special.

This excellent film details the adventure of a man's search for his wife's killer and to clear himself of her murder. Harrison Ford is the hero and wanted man and on the run to escape capture by a determined U.S. Marshal in one thrilling scene after another. A spectacular train wreck with a bus of prison-bound felons gets the action underway at which point Tommy Lee Jones enters the picture and takes over the film by sheer force of personality and doesn't let go. Harrison, a resourceful type, stays just ahead of Jones in this taut cat-and-mouse thriller and adroitly leaves just enough clues for the police as he closes in on the killer. Ford and Jones are well matched here in one of the best urban crime mysteries ever filmed. Cast and Chicago locations add realism to a great story.