Production Year: 1998 - Drama - Director: Barbet Schroeder - Original Language: English - Classification: 15 years and over - Starring: Peter Weireter, Michael Shamus Wiles, Michael Keaton, Andy Garcia, Marcia Gay Harden, Brian Cox, Scott Colomby, Tracey Walter, Steve Park, Randy Thompson, Steven Schub, Joseph Cross, Keith Diamond, Christine Ashe, Robert Baier, Dennis Cockrum, Joe Drago, Donna M. Duffy, Efrain Figueroa, Cliff Fleming, David Flick, Jack Gill, Craig Hosking, Norm Howell, Billy Kane, Donna Keegan, Tim Kelleher, Josh Kemble, Erik King, Janel Maloney, Neal Matarazzo, Howard Meehan, John Meier, Charles Noland, Darren Pearce, Richard Riehle, Troy Robinson, Danny Rogers, John Rottger, Eric Tignini, Dirk Vahle, Scott Waugh more
Widowed police officer Frank Conner (Andy Garcia) has a cancer-stricken nine-year-old son, Matthew (Joseph Cross), whose only hope for survival is a bone-marrow transplant, but the... more
Desperate Measures
Four women seek the ultimate revenge against the men who betrayed them. The gritty new ... more
drama from the Sunday Times bestselling author of Nobody's Girl. SWINDLED! Val Thorn Paula Richardson Cheryl Cutter and Betty Grayson have one thing in common - th...
Desperate Measures DVD
San Franciscan Police Officer Frank Connor has to go to desperate measures to find a ... more
suitable bone marrow donor for his critically ill son. The perfect match is a homicidal sociopath serving a life sentence who escapes from prison while being transfe...
Desperate Measures
San Francisco Police Officer, Frank Connor, (Andy Garcia) is forced to go to desperate ... more
lengths to find a compatible bone marrow donor for his critically ill son. Peter McCabe (Michael Keaton) is the boy's perfect DNA match. He is also a homicidal sociopath, serving a life sentence in a maximum security prison. Connor convinces his superiors to transport McCabe to the hospital. McCabe makes an ingenious escape, leaving a trail of dead and wounded in his wake. Police reinforcements pour into the hospital battle zone and Connor must fight his own side to capture McCabe alive. For, if he dies, his bone marrow is useless and Connor's son dies as well.
Production Year: 1999 - Drama, Thriller - Director: M. Night Shyamalan - Original Language: English - Classification: 15 years and over - Starring: Olivia Williams, Glenn Fitzgerald, Mischa Barton, Bruce Willis, Haley Joel Osment, Toni Collette
Production Year: 1995 - Drama - Director: Danny Boyle - Original Language: English - Classification: 18 years and over - Starring: Kevin McKidd, Robert Carlyle, Kelly MacDonald, Ewen Bremner, Ewan McGregor, Jonny Lee Miller
Production Year: 2004 - Drama - Director: Nick Cassavetes - Original Language: English - Classification: 15 years and over, 12 years and over - Starring: Rachel McAdams, Ryan Gosling, Gena Rowlands
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A review by elspeth334 on Desperate Measures (DVD) January 23rd, 2001
Author's product rating:
Did you enjoy it?
Loved it
Story
Outstanding
Characters / Performances
Outstanding
Special Effects
Outstanding
How does it compare to similar films?
Outstanding
Advantages:
Acting, Action and plot
Disadvantages:
none
Recommend to potential buyers:
yes
Full review
Desperate Measures is a very good film that didn't do as well at the Box Office as I feel it deserved to. It has an original plot and some good action so is makes good entertainment.
The plot involves Andy Garcias character Frank Connor trying to find a compatible bone marrow donor for his son. The problem is the only match is the very evil murderer Peter McCabe played by Michael Keaton. He makes a miraculous escape and runs round the hospital killing and injuring staff. The problem is Frank must capture him alive to save his son but as McCabe proves that it easier said than done.
There is plenty action to keep the action fan happy. There are explosions and stunts galore that complement the plot rather than just having action for the sake of it.
The acting is superb from all the actors. Michael Keaton really does seem truly evil and has a great skill to stare at people in a way that would send a shiver down there spine. He really does a good job at being a homocidal sociopath. Andy Garcia is great asthe concerned parent and the mad cop action hero.
Overall I highly recommend this film as it has some great touches. It should have done better at the box office but you should try to see it now because it is worth a look.
Advantages: Hilarious and time-less! Disadvantages: Probably wont be popular with serious fans of the King Arthur tales.
...desperatemeasures to earn myself some money for the rest of the fortnight.
Basically, Monty Python and the Holy Grail is the story of King Arthur and his knights who decided that Camelot was a silly place and then suddenly God popped his head out a cloud and told them to go and search for the Holy Grail and, since it was a particularly slow day, they took him up on the offer. The film follows the knights as they encounter temptresses, three-headed monsters and killer rabbits. Of course, it being Monty Python, a huge deal of the movie is choreographed nonsense, but that's just what makes it so irresistable. Michael Palin is wonderful as Sir Galahad the Chaiste, Eric Idle plays an amusing Sir Robin the Brave. Graham Chapman plays King Arthur and I think the guy needs to be commended for the fact that he manages to keep a straight face while...
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Plot: San Franciscan Police Officer, Frank Connor, has to go to desperate measures to find a suitable bone marrow donor for his critically ill son. The perfect match is a homicidal sociopath serving a life sentence who escapes from prison while being transferred to hospital, leaving dead and wounded. The race is on to recapture him and he has to be alive...
Release details
DVD Region: DVD
Studio(s): ENTERTAINMENT IN VIDEO; CINRAM LOGISTICS
Widowed police officer Frank Conner (Andy Garcia) has a cancer-stricken nine-year-old son, Matthew (Joseph Cross), whose only hope for survival is a bone-marrow transplant, but the only matching donor is Pete McCabe (Michael Keaton), a vicious, psychotic killer being held in a maximum-security prison. McCabe at first denies Conner's request for help but then agrees, devising an elaborate plan to use the medical procedure as an opportunity to escape. McCabe breaks loose before the transfusion can occur, and Conner is forced to become both his tracker and his ally, wanting to bring the serial killer back into custody but determined--for the sake of his son--to keep McCabe alive. Keaton is chilling as the vicious, brilliant convict, while Garcia turns in a heartfelt performance as a devoted father caught in the middle of a bad situation getting worse. With DESPERATE MEASURES, director Barbet Schroeder (REVERSAL OF FORTUNE), renowned for his knack of combining urgent family drama with white-knuckle suspense, adds another crowd-pleasing, thought-provoking film to his list of successes.
Languages
Main Language: English
Technical information
Special Features: Theatrical Trailer, Featurette
Aspect Ratio: 16:9 Anamorphic Wide Screen
Sound: Dolby Digital 5.1
Dubbing Sound: Dolby Digital 5.1 English
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Listed on Ciao since : 23/01/2001
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