Assassination

Rating:
Summary: One of Bronson's lesser Cannon movies.
Review: Charles Bronson plays a Secret Service Agent assigned to protect the First Lady, who is played by his then real life wife Jill Ireland. When the First Lady becomes the target of an assassin, she and Bronson go on the run, dodging bullets as he tries to find clues as to who is behind it all. This 1987 offering from Cannon studios was nothing special. Director Peter Hunt had previously helmed the James Bond thriller On Her Majesty's Secret Service and the Charles Bronson/Lee Marvin action/chase thriller Death Hunt. Both are far superior to this movie, which features action scenes and assassination attempts that are as unbelievable as they are uninspired. The chemistry between Bronson and Ireland is nice, and the movie does have a sense of humor about itself, but that doesn't stop it from being the most mediocre of the Cannon/Bronson movies.

Rating:
Summary: Secret Agent Man Charles Bronson protects First Lady Ireland
Review: Charles Bronson plays a Secret Service Agent assigned to protect the First Lady, who is played with snootily comic verve by his real life wife Jill Ireland. When Mrs. President becomes the target of an assassination conspiracy Bronson takes her undercover (no, not like that), dodging bullets as he tries to find clues as to who is behind it all. Nothing special, just painless fun for die hard Bronson fans.

Rating:
Summary: Secret Agent Man Charles Bronson protects First Lady Ireland
Review: Charles Bronson plays a Secret Service Agent assigned to protect the First Lady, who is played with snootily comic verve by his real life wife Jill Ireland. When Mrs. President becomes the target of an assassination conspiracy Bronson takes her undercover (no, not like that), dodging bullets as he tries to find clues as to who is behind it all. Nothing special, just painless fun for die hard Bronson fans.

Rating:
Summary: Mr. and Mrs. Bronson need to find another hobby.
Review: Explosions! Gun battles! Bronson under-acting! Ireland over-acting! This movie has it all! Except a believable plot. Actually has an intriguing premise; with a little development it would have made good movie. But every time Bronson gets close to someone who might have some answers he blows them away (read as "man of action") and Ireland refuses to see anyone but Bronson as a threat (read as "dumb blonde"). Fine, except for an abrupt reversal of these endearing traits halfway through the film. And of course their clumsy attempts to escape mayhem at the hands of bad guys that come out of NOWHERE (and everywhere) begs the great philosophical question: when Wiley Coyote is being chased by a train, why doesn't he just step off the tracks? As mindless action goes, it's not a bad flick; although rumor has it that the animators at Disnry passed on it, and left the producers scrambling for the appropriate actors to play the leads. Then came...Bronsons.

Rating:
Summary: Skip it...
Review: I've seen most all of Bronsons movies at this point and Assasination is by far and above the worst of them all. This is the only time I've actually been embarassed for old Chuck. Even the presence of Mrs. Ireland doesn't help. The script and dialouge stinks, the supporting cast was way below B grade and 'by the numbers' lame action scenes rehashed from Bronsons other films kill this one. Even more sickening was the CONSTANT sexual innuendo dialogue between the elderly Mr. Bronson and Charly(?!?),his late 20's Asian assistant who is trying to get Bronson to sleep with her. Don't get me wrong, I can enjoy a bad Bronson flick as much as the next guy but this one is altogether unacceptable. A dirtbike with a mini machine gun mounted on the handlebars? I'm surprised I haven't seen more mention of the cheesy CGI explosion matted in over the picture. This movie makes Death Wish 5, Chino and Breakout look like a five star films. I would really rather watch Kinjite again then to sit through this one twice. If you're trying to add to your Bronson collection with his more obscure films, make sure you have From Noon Till Three, The White Buffalo and The Stone Killer first. Also, be sure not to pass up St. Ives. I still feel St. Ives is one of Bronsons highest overall quality films which deserved a franchise of it's own. Long live the legend of Charles Bronson!!!

Rating:
Summary: Skip it...
Review: I've seen most all of Bronsons movies at this point and Assasination is by far and above the worst of them all. This is the only time I've actually been embarassed for old Chuck. Even the presence of Mrs. Ireland doesn't help. The script and dialouge stinks, the supporting cast was way below B grade and 'by the numbers' lame action scenes rehased from Bronsons other films kill this one. Even more sickening was the CONSTANT sexual innuendo dialogue between the elderly Mr. Bronson and Charly(?!?),his late 20's Asian assistant who is trying to get Bronson to sleep with her. Don't get me wrong, I can enjoy a bad Bronson flick as much as the next guy but this one is altogether unacceptable. A dirtbike with a mini machine gun mounted on the handlebars? I'm surprised I haven't seen more mention of the cheesy CGI explosion matted in over the picture. This movie makes Death Wish 5, Chino and Breakout look like a five star films. I would really rather watch Kinjite again then to sit through this one twice. If you're trying to add to your Bronson collection with his more obscure films, make sure you have From Noon Till Three, The White Buffalo and The Stone Killer first. Also, be sure not to pass up St. Ives. I still feel St. Ives is one of Bronsons highest overall quality films which deserved a franchise of it's own. Long live the legend of Charles Bronson!!!

Rating:
Summary: Get Ready For Laffs
Review: The films of Mr. Charles Bronson require a different rating scale than other movies. This is why I previously granted "Death Wish 3" five stars. I'm not saying it compares to "Singin' In the Rain" or "Mean Streets" or "Nashville" but as far as Bronson films go, it's vital. This one not so much, though if you thought the "casting couch" had vanished in the late 80's, get a load of the gal who plays Charlie's young girlfriend! This is certainly no "In the Line of Fire" but it's short and stuff blows up. I remember when this was released theatrically and Mr. Bronson and his late wife Ms. Ireland were on TV plugging it. Charlie voiced his dislike of the extreme violence in "Death Wish 3" (i.e., the tons of violent footage Michael Winner added to the climactic scenes). Shame he didn't recognize the movie for the masterwork it has become.

Rating:
Summary: Bronson weakest of his 80's output.
Review: This I think is the weakest entry of all the movies Bronson put out in the 80's and seems more of a rehash of Bronson and Ireland's much better movie from 1979, Love And Bullets. A very poor script and lack of budget really show throughout and I found it to be rather boring. Bronson and wife Jill Ireland do seem up for their roles but everything else around them is so routine and unimaginative that it's a shame they are wasted in such a poor movie. I am a massive Bronson fan and have all but 7 of his theatrically released movies on DVD from 1968 to 1990 (still waiting on DVD's for, Villa Rides, Guns for San Sebastian, Rider On The Rain, You Can't Win'Em All, The Stone Killer, St Ives and Telefon) but this for me is one more for die hard Bronson fans and Bronson movie completists only. The whole movie is very implausible and I found myself questioning everything that happened on screen. I'd expected much more from Peter Hunt who also directed one of the better bond outings On Her Majesties Secret Service as well as two excellent Roger Moore thrillers Gold and Shout At The Devil. Director Hunt also teamed up with Bronson on the excellent 1981 outing Death Hunt but on this partnership they released a much inferior movie. Disappointing Bronson entry even by 80's standards.

Rating:
Summary: Cannon Lite
Review: This is one of the lesser Cannon/Bronson collaborations(though many would say that they are all "lesser"). It was made in the final hours of Cannon before bankruptcy and it shows. Bronson's the agent assigned to protect the first lady, a real you-know-what. Many attempts are made on her life, forcing her and Bronson on the run. Soon, we see her softer side, they become pals, tra-la, tra-la. Pretty by the numbers plot. This was a tame PG-13 effort from Cannon, so all the gratuitous violence and nudity are gone, making it not quite the Cannon we all love. Bronson and Ireland do exchange some funny lines from time to time, but that's about as entertaining as this film gets. If you collect Bronson flicks, this should be the last one you get, if at all.

Rating:
Summary: Cannon Lite
Review: This is one of the lesser Cannon/Bronson collaborations(though many would say that they are all "lesser"). It was made in the final hours of Cannon before bankruptcy and it shows. Bronson's the agent assigned to protect the first lady, a real you-know-what. Many attempts are made on her life, forcing her and Bronson on the run. Soon, we see her softer side, they become pals, tra-la, tra-la. Pretty by the numbers plot. This was a tame PG-13 effort from Cannon, so all the gratuitous violence and nudity are gone, making it not quite the Cannon we all love. Bronson and Ireland do exchange some funny lines from time to time, but that's about as entertaining as this film gets. If you collect Bronson flicks, this should be the last one you get, if at all.