Leofwine_draca A sequel and equal to THE FUGITIVE, this exciting, highly watchable thriller deserved a much bigger success than the lacklustre performance it had when released in the cinemas. I just don't understand why people didn't like it, except that perhaps there is a case of 'seen it before', as there is much the same feel to it as THE FUGITIVE. However, the film is by no means a copy, the plot is completely different and offers up many new situations, the only thing which is directly lifted from the original is the opening crash, this time by plane instead of train.The film is constantly full of conspiracy trappings (the norm for '90s thrillers), conflict, both verbal and physical, and supported well by a clever script as Snipes and Jones both behave in believable ways. The acting is all very good, with Tommy Lee Jones reprising his role as the laconic hunter who never loses. Jones oozes charisma and comes across as a very cool character. Snipes' character may not be as sympathetic as Ford's was in THE FUGITIVE, but he's a fine actor and a tough, wily opponent. Robert Downey Jr. lends solid support as a special agent, and the rest of the cast are all commendable.However, it's the action sequences which stand out, from the opening plane crash to the excellently choreographed shootout in a cemetery, of all places. Coupled with some literally amazing stunts - Snipes swinging off a tall building on to the roof of a moving train, this never loses touch with reality, as events are based very much in fact. Like THE FUGITIVE, U.S. MARSHALS has a feel to it which instantly raises it above the level of other such fare in the cinemas today, and it's a film which deserves to become something of a minor classic.

Fedorahawk U.S Marshals is one of those unique films of the nineties, because it is so rememberable and entertaining to watch. Tommy Lee Jones is, as expected, outstanding in the film. All of the side characters also bring a spark to the screen that mixes well with the environment. The action is suspenseful and continuous. The plot is basic but decent in its twists and turns. The only flaw that I can find within the film is the character Robert Downey Jr. plays. He does act very well, I just hated the character he played. His development is there, but it just doesn't fit into a common personality for his character. The need to get what he wants, even if it costs friends their lives is really undefined, and not well explained in the film. Plus he is the new guy as the story begins, making him the obvious out of place character, who will mess things up for everybody. Other then that, this film is a gem of the nineties, and is worth a peek.

vostf I was never much interested in watching this spin off of The Fugitive. What attracted me to The Fugitive was Richard Kimble's story fleshed up by Harrison Ford and truckloads of action. Tommy Lee Jones as Sam Gerard stood out and was essential to the overall balance but you would not say that this supporting character was more interesting than the fugitive.Action packed as it is US Marshals lacks a deeper characterisation of Gerard. His team, his temper, his buoyancy, his tidy boss... these are nice touches but don't really build something more than the character we already saw in the previous movie.You can take the two impressive action sequences apart and they just look like another blockbuster's tour de force. In the course of the movie they are not set up as a tension peak, they mostly happen as scripted. Surely there are too many nice/interesting characters to follow (Tommy Lee Jones and 2-3 prominent members of his team, Robert Downey Jr, Wesley Snipes and his lover Irène Jacob) so the editing rhythm is bogged down. The pace is simply not as fast as it should be for action to play to the max.Another big flaw is the 'New Fugitive' character arc: we don't know him from the get-go - whereas the premise of the original Fugitive was about an innocent man accused of his wife's murder and relentlessly tracked down - and then new elements are added that don't draw a clear picture of who he is - and if he is really innocent ! Most notably it is clear soon enough that he is not just your average man: hence empathy and rooting for him can never reach the required level for suspension of disbelief to work (I am especially thinking of the graveyard shooting, a sequence setup which looks blatantly haphazard for such big professional boys).Too bad they rushed such a script into production to poach on the Fugitive real-estate. They didn't need to have another nice innocent fugitive - especially given this protracted macguffin of a plot. Sam Gerard should have been the sole hero, attempting to stop more than a prisoner on the loose, and we should have had a better insight into the man's soul.

pc95 While not an awful movie, "US Marshals" feels a little bit derivative and worn out. It follows the grand footprints of it's technically better and more gripping older sibling, "The Fugitive". While Tommy Lee Jones sparkled and stole the show in the earlier film, he is the focus of this newer installment. His comic relief in Marshals becomes muted, and storyline is rehashed. Wesley Snipes co-stars as the newer "Fugitive" and much of the movie is by-the-numbers. The drama and mystery is easily guessed unfortunately. The music too is tedious. However you could do a lot worse with Jones keeping many scenes afloat and in-command. Maybe worthwhile if you like Jones. Robert Downey Jr. has a lower profile role especially compared to newer movies we've seen him in. 6/10