Evasive Action

1998
4.6| 1h31m| NA| en| More Info
Released: 01 January 1998 Released
Producted By: Royal Oaks Entertainment Inc.
Country: United States of America
Budget: 0
Revenue: 0
Official Website:
Info

When Redwood Federal Penitentiary closes, there are going to be several hundred prisoners looking for a new home. Several of the most dangerous, all killers, will be transported by train to Santa Ana, a new high tech prison for the worst of the worst. Included in this transfer are: -Ian Kelly, explosions expert who has set off terrorist bombings worldwide. -Lorenzo "Enzo" Martini, a mafia kingpin who enjoyed nationwide fame before finally being put away. -Karl "The Killer" Miller, a serial killer with absolutely no conscience and an unquenchable thirst for blood. -Tommy "Zimm" Zimmer, a man who's serving life for killing his wife and her lover. -Luke Sinclair, who's finishing up the last nine months of a fifteen-year sentence for killing the man who murdered his wife. When the prisoners, under heavy security, board the last car of the train, it quickly becomes clear that an escape plan has been hatched

Genre

Action, Thriller

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Director

Jerry P. Jacobs

Production Companies

Royal Oaks Entertainment Inc.

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Evasive Action Audience Reviews

Cubussoli Very very predictable, including the post credit scene !!!
ThiefHott Too much of everything
Matylda Swan It is a whirlwind of delight --- attractive actors, stunning couture, spectacular sets and outrageous parties.
Logan By the time the dramatic fireworks start popping off, each one feels earned.
lost-in-limbo "I tell you Jack, I feel a whole lot better if we were flying". "Well, ever since that plane load of prisoners went down in Vegas. The FFA doesn't want anything to do with us".Cool to see a little wink to the film that it patterned itself on. "EVASIVE ACTION" is a poor man's version of "CON AIR". Being in the same film universe, you could call it Con Train, but it manages to deliver a few of its own surprises. It just doesn't stop there either, as certain characters are similar in persona and mannerisms. Instead of a top-draw cast, you get a second string ensemble. Dorian Harewood is the good-hearted criminal ala Nic Cage. Roy Scheider is the cunningly dangerous head criminal ala John Malkovich. Clint Howard is the weird psychotic prisoner that everyone fears ala Steve Buscemi. Howard doesn't do much, and his character doesn't really live up to the name Hector "The Director" Millar whose signature style was recreating the murders from horror films. Instead all does here, is look creepy, while spouting well known movie dialogues. Then there's Ray Wise, Don Swazye, Ed O'Ross, John Toles-Bey and Dick Van Patten rounding it up. The performances are all acceptable without anyone really standing out.For what it is, plot mechanics stay simple. Predictable character traits and motivations linger, being brutal when it wants to be. Mayhem and pacing stays frequent, in spite of its minimal intensity, a few stunts had a degree of tension and were extremely well-shot. This durable, straight shooting b-grade actioner delivers on the quota.
slightlymad22 There are some familiar faces in this "Con Air" rip off. Dorian Harewood from Gothica and Full Metal Jacket is the lead actor who is 12 years into a 15 year sentence for shooting the guy who killed his wife. Ed O'Ross the villain from Red Heat who also had roles in Lethal Weapon and Universal Soldier has a role as the tough Warden of the prison. Clint Howard is a long way from his Gentle Ben days, but he has been turning up in small roles in movies for years. Waterboy, Austin Powers, Ed-TV, Tango & Cash and Backdraft. Don Swayze who has been in.....um.... err... We'll he's Patrick Swayze's brother. The star of the movie though is Roy Scheider who is a mob boss serving a life sentence. They are all prisoners on a train transferring The worst of the worst Prisoners to a new High-Tec prison. Scheiders character organises an escape with Harewood filling out the Nic Cage role from "Con Air" of trying to stop him, while remaining on his good side.The end ridiculously takes stock footage from Silver Streak, and a lot of explosions and stunts happen off screen like Harewood jumping from a motorbike to the train, and a helicopter crashing.I gave it 5/10 simply for Roy Scheider. There's a great scene early in the film where Scheider establishes his bad-ass credentials by brutally clubbing an uncredited Sam Jones (Flash Gordon) to death. Scheider was 66 when he made this, and he looks nails. I only watched this on TV because of Roy Scheider. Its sad that he had to took roles in movies like this to pay the bills, and its understandable that he did, we all have to make a living. I can forgive that rather than Sly Stallone starring in tripe because he was offered $15,000,000 to do so.
suchenwi Trains have been a popular aim for movie cameras, ever since the Lumière brothers in 1896. Take the 1903 Great Train Robbery, Keaton's General, La bête humaine, Under Siege 2, and many many more. I admit to have a special liking for them, and couldn't resist when I saw this one for €1.99 in the shop. Was it worth it? I'm undecided. I wouldn't call it good, nor bad.. let's call it middling? What I liked most were the beginning jail scenes - far from Shawshank Redemption or Green Mile, but quite nicely done. Hey, this is a "direct to video" on a low budget.. even B movies of old were made for the big screen!On the other hand, this little thing shows ambitions. Two scenes of jumping on the rushing train, from a collapsing helicopter and from a motorbike, were hinted at but not exactly shown (impossible to do? too expensive?) But then, in Mission Impossible you even had a helicopter chasing the train in the tunnel! The climax shows that the makers had watched Silver Streak (one of my favorite train movies), but couldn't afford a worthy remake. Most bizarre I found how the many people in L.A. Union Station seemed not to bother at all at the "catastrophe", just keeping wending their ways... or was it the desert the train was in, 9 minutes from LA?Lots of incontinuities. Where was Donner Pass (a famous rail location!) I kept hearing about? How silly can you misrepresent a railroad control room, and its screen display? And does California really have about ten policemen (or did the budget forbid using more)?And yet, it did have its charms. Even though it was very probably made by adults, now thinking more about it, this movie somehow exudes the embarrassing but fun experience of watching a high-school theater project. Reconsidering, I give it 7/10 - five for middling, but one bonus point each for being set on a train, and for the hilarious audacity of trying to do a much bigger show than the budget would allow... :) I haven't watched Con Air, so I can't compare. But if you like "train exploitation", this film may be worth US$3 to add to the collection, and 90 minutes to watch.
james_jonathan_turner What film! I find throughout this picture that tension is cranked up by stealth. What acting! Drama was fully realised by face and walking. The expertise of act was fully realised by shark attack victim Roy Scheider through brilliant. My nerves surrounding trains were mechanically extrapolated through film- I was gripped by story, and my the action only helped prolong viewing time. Steel train was great name and reflected the true power of train, but Evasive Action is the facts because train cannot be embraced like goose. I think trains are not fully realised as story basis, though Under Siege thought train well and atomic train had battle train, but Evasive Action make steel train! I feel film was excellent and implore everyone who likes act, drama, film and train to watch.