Retro Film Review: Plato's Run (1997)

The end of Cold War deprived the world of the films featuring rugged individuals who save free people from Red Menace. All those nostalgic for those good old times could find traces of Hollywood's Cold War in the plot of Plato's Run, 1997 action film directed by James Becket.

Protagonist of the film is Plato Smith (played by Gary Busey), explosives expert, former Navy SEAL and former CIA covert operative. After the end of Cold War he is utterly bored and spends all of its time hanging out with equally bored Cold War veterans in South Florida. Lack of money and persuasive powers of his former flame Marta (played by Tiani Warden) are reasons why he agrees to conduct covert operation for Gomez (played by Salvador Levy), powerful Cuban American. Gomez' son has been rotting in Castro's prison so Plato goes to Cuba to rescue him. But when it turns out that "son" was actually an assassin hired to kill Gomez, all hell breaks lose. Plato is set up for murder and must hide himself not only from police and vengeful Gomez's men, but also from Alexander Senarkian (played by Roy Scheider), menacing arms dealer.

Plot about old, fat, unfit and bored Cold War veterans having to show their deadly skills once more had more potential than this B-film finally delivered. More ambitious director could have turned Plato's Run into modern anti-western in the style of The Shootist or simply treat the realm of Cold War action films as an excellent source of parody material. Writer and director James Becket failed to see such potential and turned Plato's Run into just another cheap and uninspired action film with predictable plot and mostly bored actors. Roy Scheider is terrible to watch in the role of cartoonish villain, while Steven Bauer fails to provide comic relief as Plato's friend and associate Sam. On the other hand, the film has few lucid and funny moments, especially those involving Gary Busey, but there aren't enough of them to make this film into anything more than barely watchable.

RATING: 3/10 (+)

(Note: The text in its original form was posted in Usenet newsgroup rec.arts.movies.reviews on May 15th 2003)

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