Extreme Prejudice (1987) *** (out of 4)As children, Jack benteen and Cash Bailey were the best of friends. As adults, Jack (Nick Nolte) is a Texas Ranger and Cash (Powers Boothe) has turned into one of the biggest drug pushers in Mexico. The two of them are about to face off over their morals as well as the woman they both love.Walter Hill's EXTREME PREJUDICE has one of the most familiar and predictable plots out there. It's somewhat surprising that this film basically contains every stereotype that you'd expect in an action movie like this yet it remains extremely entertaining throughout thanks to a terrific cast as well as a director with an eye for violence. I think the best thing this film has going for it are the performances by the entire cast. Both Nolte and Boothe are extremely effective in their roles and they really do make you feel as if they were once friends but now are battling on opposite sides of the law. The two really set off explosions when they're acting together. The cast also includes strong character actors like Michael Ironside, Rip Torn, Clancy Brown, William Forsythe, Matt Mulhern and quick roles for Mickey Jones and Lin Shaye. The cast certainly keeps the routine screenplay going but so does Hill's eye for action and violence. This is a pretty darn bloody movie with all sorts of gunshot wounds and slow motion scenes of blood flowing. If you're easily offended by violence and action then it's doubtful you're much of a fan of Hill but the director adds some great touches to the picture and especially during these action scenes. The finale is all out gun massacre and it's extremely effective and entertaining.As I said, EXTREME PREJUDICE isn't the most original movie ever made and it follows all the plot twists that you'd expect but if you're a fan of the director then it's certainly worth watching.

Only Mr Hill could bring something so exciting and explosive to the screen, only this wouldn't be well known, as many as it's others, which is the negative, cause it's definitely warrants viewing with an insightful script and very good performances, all around. It's the different and exciting story that makes it, kind of two stories wonderfully colliding together you could say. Once childhood friends, Texas Ranger Jack Benteen (Nolte-dead solid perfect) and drug kingpin, Cash Bailey (Boothe- in one of his performances here) are now warring against each other, especially after Nolte's close friend, and deputy (Rip Torn) is slaughtered. Both enemies vie over old girlfriend (Alonso- never looking hotter, especially near the end in the saloon scene) who had ended up with Nolte. Interfering with the investigation, Nolte has a bigger mess to clean up, where later on, this problem could wonderfully solve his. A elite army of undercover CIA soldiers, lead by their unwavering, hard as steel captain, (Ironside) some seedy, all presumed dead, have popped up, to take down Bailey and company. They are after these documents he has, Cash once one of them, but turned. This is one of those stylishly different action pics, as well as being one of Hills, that only comes along once, one you shouldn't miss. The action shootouts are well staged, especially near the end, with a great cowboy like showdown, it kind of seems weird and puts in a weird disarray, as you don't expect this. Nolte shows what solid character acting is, but it was Boothe, who really impressed me here, speaking such great dialogue, any actor would love to get their hands on. The dialogue seemed meticulously chose, it had me spouting off some lines, after seeing it a few times over twenty five years ago. The title is kind of worrying, when matched it to the movie's story, a better one for something like this could of been applied. All too was the small display of title, etc, over a rising sun. In this R rated version, (the M played cinema wise in Adelaide, more bums on seats) you get what you asked for, heavy squirts of blood and some spillages. You will be humbly satisfied. The whole bloody well made film, is just different you know, and today still stands alone.

Jack Benteen is a Texas Ranger on the Mexico border with a big drug smuggling problem by the name of Cash Bailey. A showdown is brewing, but when a mystery team of army special ops show up who also have designs on Bailey's operations, things get complex ...This is a pretty standard tough guys action thriller, but is better than most due to Hill's taut direction, a strong cast and several interesting subplots and themes. Some of these don't work - the old-pals-in-school schtick is pretty lame and Sorita is a fairly thankless character with nothing much to say - but others do; the military thriller angle gives it a nice kick, Cash is a great villain in his white suit and Panama hat, at times sympathetic but also debauched and psychotic (he has a memorable silent first scene with a scorpion) and the whole thing is a sort of modern day remake of The Wild Bunch, complete with a terrific bloodbath at the end. The music by Jerry Goldsmith and photography by Matthew F. Leonetti are both excellent and lift up the rather dour atmosphere considerably, as do the dusty El Paso locations. The cast of macho men are good; Nolte takes the standard Lee Marvin approach with no blinking and only takes his hat off when he feels safe, while Boothe is a great charismatic villain, all sweaty stubble and darting eyes. Ironside is typically no-nonsense in the lynchpin turncoat role, and I especially like Contreras as the henchman Lupo (see him also in 1941, Repo Man and several other of Hill's movies). The action throughout is interesting and very well choreographed, but for me this is a conventional film improved by good craftsmanship, as opposed to a great movie. Even a minor offering by Hill however is above average and well worth catching. Written by John Milius, Fred Rexer, Deric Washburn and Harry Kleiner.

What we have here is one hell of a film. Which goes without saying when you have John Milius writing the script and Walter Hill directing it. Also an ensemble cast that includes Nick Nolte , Powers Boothe , Michael Ironside, Clancy Brown , William Forsythe, Maria Conchita Alonso, the dude who played Lamar in Revenge Of The Nerds and more. Extreme Predudice is pretty much The Wild Bunch set in the 1980's on the U.S./Mexican border . It is almost as good as The Wild Bunch also which is a huge compliment as The Wild Bunch is one of the best films ever made. The pacing on this is quicker. Expect lots of action , great dialogue and stellar performances . Most of Walter Hill 's movies are underrated in my opinion and this is one of his finest works. This is also my favorite western in a modern day setting . I also really like Lone Wolf McQuade, which John Milius wrote also( and is my favorite Chuck Norris film). If you are a fan of action films or westerns this is one movie you should check out.