Featured Audience Ratings

• Emil K

  
  Within it's first ten minutes Barbet Schroeder's Desperate Measures seems stylish and exciting, but after those first minutes the whole film begins to fall apart and trust me when i say that it truly ends up being a one big mess and a missed opprtunity. I have always… More
  Within it's first ten minutes Barbet Schroeder's Desperate Measures seems stylish and exciting, but after those first minutes the whole film begins to fall apart and trust me when i say that it truly ends up being a one big mess and a missed opprtunity. I have always thought that Schroeder is talented and interesting director. His films have this unhurried pace and quality that i so much enjoyed in his works like Reversal of Fortune or Kiss of Death. Those films were perfect examples of Schroeder at the peak of his powers. Desperate Measures does have style but the screenplay by David Klass is so unbelievably dumb and weak that it destroys any slight possibility of this film to become anything more than a Die Hard - style dumb actioner. Andy Garcia and Michael Keaton both deserves better story and the even with material like this they manage to bring some of their charm in to this film. There is also great cinematographer Luciano Tovoli behind the camera here and the best thing is by far the strong score by Trevor Jones. All this potential is lost underneath the horrendous script. As an mindless actioner Desperate Measures is at least something a bit more classier than typical slam bang films, but overall with a team like this and most of all from a director this good, this is crushing disappointment.

• Anthony L

  
  Silly action film to switch off to

• Jason O

  
  Peter McCabe (Michael Keaton) is in jail for several murders. He is one of the most dreaded criminals in his prison. However, a cop, Frank Conner (Andy Garcia), finds out that Peter is the only one who can save his son by giving him a bone marrow transplant. Peter agrees to do so… More
  Peter McCabe (Michael Keaton) is in jail for several murders. He is one of the most dreaded criminals in his prison. However, a cop, Frank Conner (Andy Garcia), finds out that Peter is the only one who can save his son by giving him a bone marrow transplant. Peter agrees to do so after getting several of his privileges, such as smoking, back. However, things take an interesting twist after Peter somehow escapes while in the hospital. Frank can't allow anybody to kill Peter because that would kill Frank's son, but he also doesn't want Peter to do what he is known for, being a murderer. I can't believe that "Desperate Measures" isn't getting a lot better ratings than it's getting. I thought it was a great movie. I like for movies to have a plot, and I'll admit that this movie is choppy in that department, but it does feature one of Michael Keaton's best job as an actor and it has great suspense. That's why I really liked "Desperate Measures." If you can put up with a movie that doesn't have one of the best plots in the world, but one that has good acting and great suspense, I recommend getting "Desperate Measures." NOTE: That was my Amazon review from the year 2001.

• Dean M

  
  This so-called thriller concerns a cop, trying to save his son's life, who must deal with a homicidal sociopath who happens to be the only suitable bone-marrow donor in the entire civilized world. Yeah, right!

• Aaron N

  
  Peter McCabe: You have to appreciate the irony. After all these years of being locked up, I'm given the opportunity to kill again. A cops kid too, and all I have to do is sit right here. This movie does a good job at being terrible, but every time it's on, I enjoy watching… More
  Peter McCabe: You have to appreciate the irony. After all these years of being locked up, I'm given the opportunity to kill again. A cops kid too, and all I have to do is sit right here. This movie does a good job at being terrible, but every time it's on, I enjoy watching it. There's just something about it. A strange combination of Andy Garcia and a particularly good Michael Keaton, who does not get enough work in my opinion, star as cop and criminal. Garcia has a terminally ill son who needs a bone marrow transplant. Enter Keaton, who plays a killer in jail and happens to be the only one in the area that matches up to Garcia's son. Upon the time of the operation, Keaton breaks out, basically takes the hospital hostage, and it becomes a cat and mouse game between Garcia and Keaton, except Keaton can't be killed or Garcia's son dies. The movie has plenty of logic problems, but it is good enough to watch on tv, and Keaton shines. Peter McCabe: [after agreeing to transplant] These cigarettes are stale. You tell that cop and his dead kid I won't stand for stale cigarettes.

• Al S

  
  A solid and riveting edge of your seat thriller. Packs plenty of explosive action, unpredictable suspence and full-throttle excitment. Michael Keaton and Andy Garcia have never been better. A sly and and chilling cat and mouse game. An exhilerating ride.

• Luke B

  
  Not the greatest film in the world. In fact some parts are pretty ridiculous. that's part of the charm here as Garcia faces a moral dilemma. Kill the killer and your son dies. Keaton is great as a cold blooded psycho and Garcia is pretty much drifting through as the loving… More
  Not the greatest film in the world. In fact some parts are pretty ridiculous. that's part of the charm here as Garcia faces a moral dilemma. Kill the killer and your son dies. Keaton is great as a cold blooded psycho and Garcia is pretty much drifting through as the loving father. Some nice action set ups and a supporting role from Brian Cox make this a likeable action thriller.

• Jeffrey M

  
  Enjoyable movie to check out on netflix instant

• Steven V

  
  Great movie. Andy Garcia and Michael Keaton play off each other really well and make this film very entertaining, intense and assured direction, moments of genuine suspense, and a booming score.

• Leo L

  
  Fantastic!

Read all 10 featured audience ratings