Fanciful, disturbing, and wildly original, it announces the arrival of a fresh, bold voice in American cinema.

The film creates a perfect balance between action and depth of basic needs, in the midst of an infertile atmosphere.

Great example of an old-fashioned, pure-at-heart escapist event movie that doesn't pretend to be anything that it's not and has boat loads of fun being its own ludicrous self.

This is a dark and sometimes deeply uncomfortable drama

One hillbilly who is now a big city cop in Chicago, has his (least-loved) little brother hillbilly come to work in the city after the local mine closes. He gets killed by a goombah enforcer, who's teaching his cousin goombah (who is the son of the head goombah) the ropes.Back at the hillbilly homestead, (most-loved) elder brother hillbilly comes to town to exact hillbilly justice. He dies.Which sends hillbilly homestead into a hillbilly hornets nest, and every single male hillbilly that can wield a firearm (which is all of them) are given packed lunches by the womenfolk (yes, seriously), and set off for justice in the big city.Meanwhile, goombah enforcer isn't happy that son-of-goombah is slowly taking over, since he's the head goombah's son. So he kills cousin goombah and frames elder brother hillbilly before he dies.In the final standoff, head goombah shoots goombah enforcer for murdering head goombah's son.This somehow pays back the blood debt for 2 dead hillbillies and a bunch of dead goombah no-names.And by contract, Patrick Swayze reveals his most defining acting skill and takes off his shirt in at least 3 scenes.Starring:Robert Easton, dialect coach in over 50 movies, must've silently weeped during this oneTed Levine, 3 minute part of a crazy drunk with a shot gun, his career peaked as Captain Stottlemeyer in 'Monk'Ben Stiller, son-of-goombah-looking-to-take-over-the-family-business, pretty much still an unknown actor at this point. Plays a fairly convincing entitled assholeBill Paxton, little brother who gets killed as an example. His brother's wife in this movie, will be his wife in a later movie (Twister)Andreas Katsulas, head goombah, will be future G'Kar in Babylon 5Helen Hunt, apparently everybody's movie wife as some pointAdam Baldwin, Full Metal Jacket, The X-Files, Firefly/Serenity (including the fan-made Browncoats: Redemption), Chuck, the Captain of the ship in The Last Ship, 2 awesome guest appearances in Castle, and even voice acting in HL2:2. Here he plays the goombah enforcer who kills Paxton and StillerLiam Neeson, (Batman, the 1st good one, Star Wars, the 1st shitty one) most-loved elder hillbilly, he owns this movie. He is all about revenge/justice for murder in the most brutal of ways. He went on to play the same kickass character in many more movies, but with a slightly more Irish accent.Patrick Swayze, a man of highs and lows. From Dirty Dancing and Roadhouse to this dreck (he was nominated a Razzie for worst actor) then immediately back to Ghost and Point Break. He can't act, he can't pull off a constant accent, he looks like he never shot a bow before, he can't even pretend to play the violin very well. But he can dance! (But he doesn't dance in this movie, so there you go)

Oh Patrick Swayze, as much as I adore you, you did make some questionable (bad) movie choices in your career. I wonder whose idea the mullet tied into a ponytail was here? Not a great look but hey, it was the 80's so much can be forgiven.Here Swayze plays a Chicago detective who sets out to find the (mobster) responsible for the death of his brother. His other brothers (all mountain Hillbillies) want to avenge his murder too and the relatives come to odds about the "kind" of justice to be used. Yup, it's hillbillies against the mob. Wow. And Liam Neeson, well he plays one of the backwoods brothers (didn't see that coming) What an accent.However for such a terrible movie it is filled with a bunch of young, on the rise talent. Helen Hunt is Swayze's wife, Bill Paxton and Liam his brothers and a baby faced Ben Stiller. If you're in the right mood this is kind of a fun movie. 09.13

It's high concept time in this tale of the hill folk of Kentucky taking on the Chicago mob. Patrick Swayze plays Truman Gates, who's from the hills and now works as a Chicago cop. His baby brother Gerald (Bill Paxton), a driver for a vending company, is murdered in cold blood by hot tempered cretin Joey Rosselini (Adam Baldwin). Well, Trumans' people get wind of this and his reactionary brother Briar (Liam Neeson) vows that vengeance will be meted out. Truman actually wants to do things the legal way and haul Joey into a court, but naturally things just don't work out that way.This may be far fetched and silly, but at least it's an entertaining story. One standout sequence has Briar escaping from the mob by hitching a ride on a train, and the climactic showdown when Trumans' family helps him take on a bunch of thugs is some pretty amusing stuff. (You gotta love the moment when Rhino (Valentino Cimo) finds some slithering friends waiting for him inside a bus.) It's all directed capably enough by John Irvin ("Ghost Story", "Raw Deal"), with efficient location filming and an enjoyable soundtrack.Certainly the cast gives it some real interest. Neeson is a hoot as the older brother, but Paxton disappears a little too soon from the story. Swayze is okay, nothing more, as our hero, but he does handle himself well in fight scenes. There is one funny sequence where Truman and Briar tussle while handcuffed to each other. Helen Hunt has a rather thankless role as a typical Concerned Wife. Andreas Katsulas plays the mafia boss and none other than Ben Stiller plays his son. Michael J. Pollard is his usual nutty, amusing self as a motel owner. Del Close appears briefly, and Ted Levine has one big scene.All things considered, this is all pretty routine and watchable. At least the redneck family aren't portrayed as one dimensional cartoon characters.Seven out of 10.

This was the same year that Patrick Swayze had made the cult-action joint "Road House", and the following action feature "Next of Kin" was a decent, if not particularly memorable outing by director John Irvin. Along for the ride was a familiar Hollywood cast (filled with character actors) and the material on show seemed to be presenting a theme of family values and blood is family --- linked together by the motivation for revenge. Two brothers from the south, Truman now a city cop who rarely sees his family and the other the older brother Briar a former coal miner worker share a shaky relationship when Truman left along with their younger brother Gerald for the city. However a tragedy occurs where Gerald is executed by gangsters. Truman hurting inside wants to catch the guys who did it by the law, but Briar turns up in Chicago to settle the score himself with or without Truman's help.Not really inventive (City folks underestimate what they see as simple mountain folk); nonetheless the slow-boil action is tough and brutal, even if it doesn't really pack much of a sting despite its somewhat dreary urban atmosphere. Some odd comic elements feel a little misplaced. Still it's quite grounded, until it reaches an all-out assault between the two families one night in a graveyard and poetic justice is reached. The stunts are well delivered and Irvin's mechanical style is well crafted. Patrick Swayze is likable in the lead and Liam Neeson as the square-minded Briar adds the sparks. Adam Baldwin is perfect as the scummy mafia man who caused the mayhem. Also dependably showing up is Helen Hunt, Andreas Katsulas, Ben Stiller, Ted Levine, Michael J Pollard and Bill Paxton as Gerald.