Desperate Hours (1990)

44% of critics liked it
(9 reviews)
25% of users liked it
(3,118 ratings)

The Desperate Hours directed by Michael Cimino, is an attempt to remake the Humphrey Bogart classic of the same name with indifferent results. Bosworth (Mickey Rourke), a brutal criminal on the run with his partners, takes over a house occupied by an unhappily married couple Nora (Mimi Rogers) and… More The Desperate Hours directed by Michael Cimino, is an attempt to remake the Humphrey Bogart classic of the same name with indifferent results. Bosworth (Mickey Rourke), a brutal criminal on the run with his partners, takes over a house occupied by an unhappily married couple Nora (Mimi Rogers) and Tim (Anthony Hopkins) and their young son and daughter. Bosworth has escaped from jail with the help of his defense attorney Nancy Breyers (Kelly Lynch). The film focuses on the interactions of the family and Bosworth as he plans his escape to Mexico. Cimino wastes little time in developing the characters or explaining the implausible premise that Bosworth would chose an occupied house and hold an innocent family captive when the logical choice would be to lay low and wait for his chance to escape. Both Hopkins and Rourke, usually excellent actors, give wildly over-the-top performances, aided by the lurid, over-written dialogue of the screenplay and the badly paced, ill-conceived direction by Cimino, which instead of creating tension and suspense, simply confuses the already muddled and incomprehensible plot. The Desperate Hours is a pale example of the original with little to recommend it. ~ Linda Rasmussen, Rovi

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Rating, Runtime: R, 1 hr. 45 min.
Directed By: Michael Cimino
Genres: Mystery & Suspense, Drama

In Theaters: Oct 5, 1990 Wide
On DVD: Apr 16, 2002
Studio: Metro Goldwyn Mayer

Critic Reviews

Chuck O'Leary, Fantastica Daily
A crackerjack hostage drama that's well directed by Michael Cimino, gorgeously shot by cinematographer Doug Milsome, and acted with fierce intensity by Rourke and Hopkins.
Michael E. Grost, Classic Film and Television
hopkins cringing at rourke is absurd!
Steve Crum, Kansas City Kansan
Pales to original w/Bogie, but still tense

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)

Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)

Featured Audience Ratings

♥Robyn

Desperate Hours plays like a deadly cat-and-mouse mind game.... It is downright eerie. i can best describe it as a thinking persons action thriller, but in its wild turns of the imagination, it is completely hypnotic!!!!.
Derek D

Nothing wrong with the acting here - or the director, for that matter - but the film just kind of plods along at an uneven pace. I loved this movie years ago, but just can't seem to get into it nowadays. Still, Mickey Rourke is the epitome of cool as escaped murderer Michael… More
Nothing wrong with the acting here - or the director, for that matter - but the film just kind of plods along at an uneven pace. I loved this movie years ago, but just can't seem to get into it nowadays. Still, Mickey Rourke is the epitome of cool as escaped murderer Michael Bosworth.
Wahida K

Desire is the deadliest weapon of all.
Dean M

Desperate remake of William Wyler's 1955 suspense classic, with Mickey Rourke taking over the Humphrey Bogart role. Rourke's pointless posturing and director Michael Cimino's tendency toward overkill make it more campy than chilling.
Naughtia N

This movie was great and very catchy. A married couple's home gets invaded by a group of criminals. The leader of the group is an escaped con who is trying to run from the law. The married couple has problems of their own as they are separated. Anthony Hopkins and Mickey Rourke… More
This movie was great and very catchy. A married couple's home gets invaded by a group of criminals. The leader of the group is an escaped con who is trying to run from the law. The married couple has problems of their own as they are separated. Anthony Hopkins and Mickey Rourke were awesome as always, the movie wouldn't have been as good as it was if it weren't for these two talented actors.

Cast

            Mickey Rourke as Michael Bosworth

            Anthony Hopkins as Tim Cornell

            Mimi Rogers as Nora Cornell

            Lindsay Crouse as Chandler

            Kelly Lynch as Nancy Breyers

            Elias Koteas as Wally Bosworth

            David Morse as Albert

            Shawnee Smith as May Cornell

            Danny Gerard as Zack Cornell

            Gerry Bamman as Ed Tallent

            Matt McGrath as Kyle

            Brian James Anderson as Coroner

            Kenneth Bass as Repairman

            Ron Bird as Reporter

            Matthew Rangi Brown as Security Guard at Bank

            Robert Condor as Trooper

            Peter Crombie as Connelly

            Christopher Curry as Chabon

            Daniel Cussiter as SWAT Team Member

            Alexis Fernandez as Reporter

            John Finn as Lexington

            Richard Hernandez as SWAT Team Member

            John Christopher Jones as Neff

            Bradley Leatham as Police Detective

            Brittnew Lewis as College Girl

            Ellen McElduff as Bank Teller

            Dean Norris as Maddox

            Mike Nussbaum as Mr. Nelson

            Jeff Olson as Coogan

            Ellen Parker as Kate

            Gary Parker as SWAT Team Member

            James Rebhorn as Prosecutor

            Robert Rowe as Sniper

            Elizabeth Ruscio as Judge

            George Sullivan as Sniper

            Lise Wilburn as College Girl

            Michael  Flynn as Ornitz

            Barry Primus
            
            Ralph Waite
            
            Stanley White as Devereaux

            Cate Praggastis
            
            Mary Colquhoun
            
            Bob Evans as Reporter

            James Thornton as SWAT Team Member
See full cast