jellopuke There's a weird tonal shift in this movie where the Peter Weller stuff is a well done legal thriller about defending a bad man and the Sam Elliot stuff is a totally over the top action movie with crazy stunts, car chases and shoot outs. But you know what? In a crazy way it works! With a balls out insane ending that makes no sense whatsoever I had a lot of fun. It was very competently made and acted and is well worth tracking down.

Predrag The story is goofy but enjoyable and also disjointed. Weller is a legal aid lawyer about to sell out to Wall Street because he is marrying money, and Elliott is an honest cop living in a theater who is estranged from his wife. Weller and Elliott know each other - they are friends with a history, it seems - but why that is the case is never explained. They actually have good chemistry together. Weller catches a case where his client is innocent of murdering a cop; the client is a drug dealer who shot the dishonest cop in self- defense. Elliott works with the same band of dishonest cops that this cop belonged to. Somehow these cops are involved with a gangster - an African-American hip gangster because it is the '80s - who they initially raid but later they work with for no reason that is ever explained. When action is required, the bad guys open fire on innocent bystanders and explosions ensue with no concern for the safety of anyone.The story line is disjointed. There are leaps of story-telling, e.g., why does Weller think it is such a brilliant idea to break into the police headquarters rather than asking Elliott to get the evidence? Who knows, it just happens. And how does ripping some wires off the back of a roller coaster cause it to jump the tracks? Again, stuff just happens. Peter Weller delivers a great role as a lawyer defending a young black drug dealer who was attacked by an off duty police officer because of the kids skin color. Shows a twist of corrupt cops and racism at it finest. Overall rating: 7 out of 10.

Wizard-8 Since its theatrical release, "Shakedown" has all but been forgotten by the public. Having just watched it again after more than twenty five years since I first saw it, I think I know why it has faded into obscurity. Don't get me wrong, it's not a terrible movie. For starters, it looks great, with expert cinematography and lighting despite being made with a somewhat conservative budget. And director James Glickenhaus, like in his other movies, definitely shows he can direct action - the action scenes in this movie are very well done. But a closer look at the movie soon reveals some big flaws. While Sam Elliot shows his trademark weary charm and makes his character appealing, his co-star Peter Weller doesn't fare so well. Weller is kind of stiff, maybe because his character is eventually made to be not so likable despite being in a lead protagonist position. The screenplay (also by Glickenhaus) is also kind of a mess, with important characters disappearing for long periods of time, as well as the central story moving extremely slowly (or not at all) for equally long periods of time.Is the movie worth seeing? In some circumstances, yes. If you actively seek it out and/or pay good money to see it, chances are you'll be disappointed. But if it crosses your path during a slow day for free, you'll probably find it helps pass the time in an acceptable manner.

ChoiBaby Director James Glickenhaus (The Soldiers, The Exterminator, McBain) has composed a reasonably well constructed thriller with the usual spectacular action sequences and an interesting plot. This time though, the strong performances from the lead stars help propel Shakedown above the usual mundane low budget films. Peter Weller (Robocop, Screamers) is excellent as Roland Dalton, a frustrated attorney who must help defend a troubled youth who has been accused of murdering a police officer. However, there is more to the scene of the crime than meets the eye...Sam Elliot (Road House) is grand as Richie Marks, a rogue police officer who is always at the wrong place at the right time. Marks and Dalton happen to form a "buddy-buddy" type bonding, and their investigation eventually leads knee deep into a conspiracy of corruption, deceit, and murder...Shakedown is a decent action flick with an intriguing plot with enthralling plot twists and top notch action sequences. The fist fight aboard a moving roller coaster is a highlight and the extended vehicle chase through the streets of Manhattan is another highlight.What makes Shakedown an exceptional thriller though, is the three dimensional performances. Peter Weller is definitely the performer worth watching in Shakedown. His convincing portrayal as a tough lawyer adds an extra depth of integrity to an otherwise standard "kill or be killed" actioner. Sam Elliot has his moments too as a cynical renegade cop who helps Weller expose corruption in the police department.Shakedown is worth watching just for the high caliber performances from both Weller and Elliot. The action scenes are worthwhile as well. The only setback though is these action sequences are used a little too sparesly. The lack of a breathtaking pace destroys an almost superior thriller. Otherwise, Shakedown is an adequate film. This movie would benefit greatly with a faster pace, but the acting from stars Weller and Elliot make Shakedown a film worth a look.RATING: **1/2 out of ****.