Rating: 
Summary: In search of the one-armed man......
Review: The Fugitive, director Andrew Davis' (Under Siege) feature film adaptation of the classic 1960s television series, was one of 1993's biggest hits, thanks to the talents of Harrison Ford and Tommy Lee Jones, who earned a Best Supporting Actor Oscar for his role as U.S. Marshal Sam Gerard.Ford plays Chicago surgeon Dr. Richard Kimble (the late David Jansen's TV role), whose life is turned upside down when he is falsely accused of murdering his wife Helen (the luminous Sela Ward). Taken to the Area Six police station, he undergoes the standard investigative process but can't convince the skeptical detectived that a one-armed intruder is the killer. Arrrested, convicted and sentenced to death, Kimble is given a sudden and unexpected reprieve when a failed escape attempt causes the prison bus he's aboard to run off the road and land on a railroad track -- and in the path of an oncoming train. Kimble escapes, but not before saving an injured corrections officer from certain death. When Gerard and his team of deputies arrive at the crash scene, the other surviving corrections officer, in an attempt to cover up his incompetence and to take credit for saving his wounded colleague's life, at first claims all the passengers on board the bus were killed, but when sets of leg irons "without legs in 'em" are found, Gerard deduces that Kimble has survived and become a fugitive from the law. The Fugitive compresses several seasons of Roy Huggins' suspense/morality play TV series, following Kimble's attempts to solve the mystery of the one-armed man while simultaneously evading Gerard's dogged pursuit. Along the way, however, Ford's version of Kimble follows in his television counterpart's footsteps as he changes his appearance and name to keep out of his pursuer's sight. Yet, even as he risks life and liberty in his own investigation into who and why Helen was murdered, Kimble is true to his kind nature and his oath as a medical doctor, saving several people even at the risk of being discovered. And as the good doctor closes in on the one-armed man, Gerard gets closer and closer to Kimble as the movie nears its revealing conclusion. Davis and screenwriters Jeb Stuart and David Twohy tweak with the television series a bit, telling the entire story in a briskly paced 130-minute-long film, making Gerard a U.S. Marshal instead of a local police lieutenant. Yet, despite the focus on action and the added conspiracy motive behind Helen Kimble's murder, The Fugitive stays true to the spirit of the TV show. Like David Jansen, Ford is an actor most audiences genuinely like and love to cheer for, and Kimble's predicament and preserverance suit him well in this movie. Jones, too, gives his Gerard both a steely determination to fulfill his mission and a mixture of humor and compassion that surfaces at unexpected moments. The 2001 Special Edition DVD presents The Fugitive in its original widescreen format. Its extra features include interactive menus, commentary by director Davis and Tommy Lee Jones, two documentaries, a theatrical trailer, and subtitles/language tracks in English and French.
Rating:
Summary: One of my favorite movies of all time
Review: The movie picks up as it goes. With tons of running and such, it doesn't slow down. Basically Harrison Ford is running from the law. I remember seeing it a little while ago on tv, where at the end I was on edge. The problem is that you need the great sound and picture to make it truly great. Anyways, when I first saw it many years ago, I liked it. But then I realized how cool it was when I saw some of it on tv.
The movie is really good though. Harrison Ford plays a great guy, but hes on the run. I never really hated any of the characters until the end. Still, the movie is highly entertaining. His bus tips over, and he runs. He gets chased around sewers, streets, and sidewalks. Eventually, the ending comes. Once the ending came I really wanted it to keep going but, the movie is one of those things that I can't do justice with in words. Go see it. Action and Suspense, BOoyAka!
Rating:
Summary: Thrilling and Very Tense
Review: One of the biggest box office smashes of the '90s, "The Fugitive" still firmly holds its ground as a thinking persons' action film, full of exciting story (based on the television show and the Alan Shepard murder case) and fine kinetic filmaking. And who doesn't love Tommy Lee Jones (The Client, Men In Black) Harrison Ford (If you don't know one other movie he's in stop reading this review) as adversaries and seeming equals. Plus the film boasts an up-and-coming Joe Pantoliano (of t.v.'s "The Sopranos" the new CBS drama "The Handler") as a member of Jones' crack U.S. Marshall unit. The film kicks off as Dr. Richard Kimble (Ford) is wrongly convicted of his wifes' murder, and escapes when his prison bus crashes and is destroyed by an oncoming train. Soon on the scene is veteran U.S. Marshall Samuel Gerrard (Jones) to start his relentless hunt for Kimble. What follows is an intense cat and mouse game, with Jones dogging Fords' every step and Ford risking almost certain recapture trying to clear his name. Gifted Director Andrew Davis and his gifted team of editors and cinematographers take this premise and turn "The Fugitive" into a virtuostic piece of kinetic filmaking. They stage one surprising and no holds barred chase after another, trying to top themselves at every turn and succeeding most of the time. A huge reason for this is Ford and Jones, the films' soul. Jones won a deserved Best Supporting Actor oscar for his work playing a terrific hard-ass, and no one is better at playing sympathetic heroes than Harrison Ford, and he pulls out one of his best performances.
Rating:
Summary: A Great Thriller for your DVD Collection!
Review: There is a kind of magic when a superb cast, a truly gifted director, and a literate script with equal parts 'over-the-top' action, riveting suspense, and rich characterization, come together. The end result attains a luster that only grows through the years, as new audiences, through DVD and VHS, experience the same excitement we felt, viewing it on a theater screen. In the last decade, only a handful of suspense films could be called 'great'...and on top of the list is THE FUGITIVE. Based on the popular David Janssen TV series, the film faithfully follows the same premise; a doctor is convicted of his wife's death, but escapes before his execution, and tracks down the 'one-armed man' responsible for the murder, as a driven law officer attempts to recapture him. Being a big-budget film, however, the scale of everything is expanded...Dr. Richard Kimble is now a brilliant vascular surgeon, at a major Chicago hospital; the handicapped killer is a dirty ex-cop working on orders from crooked board members of a billion-dollar pharmaceutical firm; and the lawman is no longer a solitary police lieutenant, but a deputy United States Marshal, and his team of agents! While some fans of the original series complained that the 'intimacy' the series had was lost, director Andrew Davis only used the 'bigger' aspects as plot elements, placing the focus, wisely, on the dual stories of Kimble's search, and Gerard's pursuit. Despite the esteem the film has achieved over the years, Harrison Ford has gotten a bad rap for his very understated performance as Richard Kimble. While Tommy Lee Jones certainly had a far flashier role (earning him an Oscar as 'Best Supporting Actor'), Ford's intent wasn't to play 'Indiana Jones', but a man whose whole life was dedicated to his career as a surgeon, and his wife (played, in flashbacks, by the lovely Sela Ward). Seeing his wife brutally murdered devastated him (his scene in the police interrogation room, going to pieces, was largely improvised on the set, and displays some of his finest acting). His search for the killer was not the confident quest of an action hero, but based on uncertain, spur-of-the-moment decisions made by a desperate man, whose medical background was his only tool. Fear does not lend itself to flashy theatrics... Jones, as Marshal Sam Gerard, on the other hand, was a seasoned veteran, the best at what he did, and pursuing a fugitive was 'old hat' for him. With a confidence bordering on arrogance, he ordered people about like chess pieces, multi-tasked without breaking a sweat, and still could charm with a wicked smile and sarcastic remark. Of COURSE he wins the audience's heart! Featuring some of the most spectacular action scenes ever recorded on film (the train/bus wreck that frees Kimble, the dive off a dam into the churning maelstrom of the reservoir), as well as two slam-bang fistfights when Kimble finally gets 'justice', THE FUGITIVE still is remembered primarily for the suspenseful Jones/Ford 'cat-and-mouse' chase, cross-country, and the grudging respect that grows between them...which, ultimately, was what the TV series was best remembered for, as well. There is magic, here!
Rating: 
Summary: Excellently Captured the best of the TV show.
Review: It all started with Sam sheperd, the accused murderer of his wife who was convicted and exonerated. The book of the case was actually assigned reading in a course at Elmhurst College. knowing the background i was an avid watcher of the TV show that was lossely based on the Sheperd case. I love the moment when Kimball says "I'm innocent" and Tommie Lee Jones says, "I don't care."
Rating:
Summary: A fine thriller!
Review: This is a very fine movie indeed, and an excellent vehicle for both Ford and Jones (the latter reprising his world-wise character in 'US Marshalls' opposite Wesley Snipes). The action sequences are breathtaking, but it's the drama and build-up of tension that really gives it the edge - is the innocent doctor going to be caught or not? And will he achieve justice? Intelligent and canny, the pressure is never let up. Best interaction between the two 'adversaries': Ford (with gun on Jones): "I didn't kill my wife!"
Jones (hands in the air): "I don't care!"
Rating:
Summary: A must-see movie of the '90s
Review: There's no question 'The Fugitive' has become a timeless, talked-about thriller that virtually everyone has seen. And there's great reason why everyone should see this movie. It's has an excellent cast, good action, a great storyline, great thrills, and even bits of drama here and there. The acting by Harrison Ford and Tommy Lee Jones obviously stands out, but it's the supporting roles of Joe Pantoliano (who actually brings some comedy to the film), Julianne Moore, and Jeroen Krabbe that help boost the movie's appeal. There are so many infamous scenes and characterizations that it's even spawned a Leslie Nielsen parody movie, 'Wrongfully Accused' (fitting name). But that's neither here nor there. If you haven't seen this movie yet, you're missing out on a brilliant piece of film. Here's a rundown of the movie: The movie starts with some in-and-out scenes, going from past to present. We first see Dr. Richard Kimble (Ford) at a party with his wife. Then they leave, she gets murdered, and he gets blamed for it. It's not really that fast, but it's hard to explain. We then see Kimble being questioned by police and eventually convicted in a courtroom. And although we know he's a loveable, sincere doctor, he actually looks like the Unabomber with his beard and distraught haircut. So to the uninformed, he appears very guilty. After all this has happened, we (the viewer) still KNOW he didn't do it; they make that very clear. But as Kimble and fellow inmates are on a bus to be executed, something happens. The bus crashes. And although this particular scene is one of the most famous and best ever produced, it's a little unbelievable for it all to unfold as it did. Nevertheless, it's an action-packed scene that really keeps you entertained. As you can imagine, Kimble (and another guy) escape from the train wreck and go "on the run". That's where Tommy Lee Jones comes in. After he and his crew take the jurisdiction from some incompetent cops who didn't see the loose footcuffs, he orders people around using a speech that covers every possible scenario and every inch of ground. In fact, the many speeches and directions he gives are awesome and very entertaining. One of the reasons this movie is so impressive is because of the ongoing battle between Kimble and Samuel Gerard (Jones). I'm calling it the battle of smart versus smart. And that's fitting, because everywhere Kimble goes... there's Gerard. One of those meetings between the two is also one of the greatest moments in film: the tunnel scene. Again, it might be somewhat far-fetched, but it is still breathtaking. Another bright spot within the film is the attention to detail. If you listen and watch Gerard come up with his schemes for catching Kimble, you can't help but say "wow". This is not your average cop-chasing-bad-guy-picking-up-clues-type movie. It's much more than that. There are numerous unpredictable turns that stand out in a movie that appears, at first glance, to be predictable. Without those twists the movie would've been more average. Now, even with the awesome twists and stellar action sequences, the movie isn't perfect. There might be a few things the movie could've done without. First, the flashbacks that Kimble has became a little annoying, though they were probably necessary. And what about the people he contacted? Wouldn't they be arrested for assisting in a crime? In the end, I guess it doesn't really matter. 'The Fugitive' will no doubt entertain you; while keeping you just on the edge of your seat and ready for anything. The acting by both Ford and Jones are flat-out amazing, and the supporting cast really adds to the brilliance it already possessed. This movie is not too predictable, until the very end (how is supposed to end?). The story is great, letting us wonder if Dr. Kimble's tragic loss was fate or a set-up. I won't say anymore about the movie, but I will say you need to see it. This is undoubtedly one of the must-see movies of the '90s. Whether or not you like Harrison Ford, Tommy Lee Jones, action movies, thrillers, or just a great movie all in all, watch 'The Fugitive'. It has so many twists and turns that it'll leave you in awe and wanting more.
Rating:
Summary: A breathless thriller!
Review: The Fugitive is a fantastic thriller, one of the best ever, not succeeding only as a thriller, but also as an action movie and a drama. Harrison Ford stars as Doctor Richard Kimble, a surgeon from Chicago who was falsely accused and convicted of the crime of killing his wife, while avoiding Deputy Marshal Sam Gerard played brilliantly by Tommy Lee Jones and his team who are sent to hunt down the doctor and bring him back to prison. Throughout the movie, Kimble evades the police while trying to track down his wife's real murderer. The script is not outstanding, but the story is elevated by endless suspense, great action scenes, and some intense acting between the two leads. The ending climax is also a fantastic piece of work, filled with suspense and very satisfying. The cinematopgraphy is as naturalistic as possible, creating a sense of realism. The Fugitive is one of the finest in its genre. It holds up brilliantly on repeated viewings and is one of the best action films of the 1990's. Don't miss this film it is a must see.
Rating:
Summary: One of the best films ever made!
Review: Loosely based on the 1954 murder case of Sam Sheppard - whose son fights to clear his father's name to this day - 1960s television created an added dose of drama by allowing The Fugitive (the late David Janssen) to escape from prison, and hunt down the man who murdered his wife in cold blood. Perhaps never in the history of TV was a plotline so ripe for the treatment (and budget) afforded by the big screen - and, perhaps, never has it been done so well. Harrison Ford plays Doctor Richard Kimble, a Chicago-area vascular surgeon ("What the hell is that?" asks one of his pursuers. "Someone who makes a lot more money than you," answers another in the easy, natural humor of two people who've worked together for years) who seems, at first, too good to be true. A philanthropist respected by the community, loved by his colleagues and adored by his wife, you can't help but wonder if there's trouble in paradise, despite the shadowy presence of Helen Kimble's (Sela Ward, bringing remarkable life to a dead woman, thanks to flashbacks) killer. Chicago's finest quickly come to the same conclusion, and a damning 911 phone call by the dying victim seals Kimble's fate - a death sentence! Fate, however, has other ideas. One of four survivors of the most spectacular - and controversial - train wreck ever captured on film, Kimble sets off to blend in to the Windy City's skyline long enough to find the man who took Helen from him. He has plenty of clues to start him on the trail; his biggest enemy not so much his pursuers as time itself. Deputy United States Marshal Samuel Gerard (Tommy Lee Jones, who won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor), meantime, is as dogged as his prey; so determined to capture "my man" that, when confronted by the fugitive Kimble and his professed innocence, snaps back, "I don't care!" Though Gerard isn't "out to solve a puzzle here," Kimble is, and with equal persistence. The plot that led to the death of his wife is revealed in tense, dramatic fashion to the audience as Kimble himself learns it - and learns who has betrayed him. What remains, of course, is whether his time has run out. Ford's Kimble is what many people would consider an oxymoron: A truly benevolent, honest doctor. Best known as the almost-reckless Indiana Jones, Ford plays Kimble as a highly intelligent man who uses his wits and a level head to keep one step in front of not one, but two groups of adversaries. Hot on Kimble's heels, Jones' Gerard does Ford one better by creating a lawman walking the thin line between pursuit and obsession. "Never argue with the big dog," Gerard admonishes his team, when Kimble shows up "not dead yet" - proof, yet again, that "the big dog is always right." Hunter and prey, cat and mouse, Jones and Ford present real people trapped in a deadly game. The viewer quickly bonds with Kimble and roots for his success, while not quite able to root against Gerard. "It's alright if you catch him," we seem to be saying, "just, not yet!" A supporting cast including Joe Pantoliano, Jeroen Krabbe and Julianne Moore (in a small, but pivotal role) is equally up to the task; never did anyone's performance feel like they were acting, and the rich range of emotions coupled with crisp pacing, a riveting storyline and a properly brassy soundtrack adds up to one of the finest films ever made. Virtually every person on Earth has seen The Fugitive; buy the DVD, and you'll never forget why.
Rating:
Summary: The One Armed Man Did It!!!
Review: Well, this one has got the actor side of things covered. Harrison Ford plays, "Richard Kimball," a doctor accused and convicted of killing his wife over a considerable insurance policy. Tommy Lee Jones plays "Samuel Gerard," of the United States Marshall Service, who is out to capture his fugitive This movie is great. It is suspenseful without being annoying. There is something to be said about that. Rarely can a movie carry with it, considerable suspense, and not drag too far. Not knowing if this is as a result of the script, actor, or director, I will just say that it is a rare thing to able to successfully accomplish. I really enjoyed Tommy Lee Jones in this picture. This movie was probably one of the earlier movies I saw with him in. (I subsequently saw more of Mr. Jones's earlier pictures after having seen "The Fugitive." Hey, I was all of thirteen years old when this movie came out) The "Gerard" character is great, and totally fitting. Harrison Ford is always good, but I think Jones makes this picture. This is a great, a good piece in any movie collection epc
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