Nighthawks (1981)

Featured Audience Ratings

• Ken S

  
  Rambo and Lando more or less remake French Connection, but with a terrorist (Rutger Hauer in his debut) instead of a drug dealer.

• Conner R

  
  Very much in the same tradition of the French Connection, an 80s equivalent and almost as good. The good vs. evil aspect is the strongest and quite possibly the most effective in a plot like this. Part of that is due to both Rutger Hauer and Sylvester Stallone's flawless… More
  Very much in the same tradition of the French Connection, an 80s equivalent and almost as good. The good vs. evil aspect is the strongest and quite possibly the most effective in a plot like this. Part of that is due to both Rutger Hauer and Sylvester Stallone's flawless performances. Sly is actually a lot different than he usually is in this, way more of a hothead and energetic. However, it's Rutger Hauer as the terrorist mastermind Wulfgar who totally dominates the movie. The cinematography is great, just another one of the many strong suites this has. I love the story, terrorism has never been handled quite so well in a cop movie. This is believable, non-stereotyped and just really cool. It's a shame that this goes along without a bigger fanbase, hopefully one day it will be appreciated properly.

• David L

  
  .Nighthawks is a remarkable film on many levels and more than eerily prophetic, considering what took place in New York City twenty years after its release in 1981. It focuses on two undercover police detectives, Sgt. Deke DaSilva(Sylvester Stallone) and his partner Sgt. Matthew… More
  .Nighthawks is a remarkable film on many levels and more than eerily prophetic, considering what took place in New York City twenty years after its release in 1981. It focuses on two undercover police detectives, Sgt. Deke DaSilva(Sylvester Stallone) and his partner Sgt. Matthew Fox(Billy Dee Williams)who work in the NYPD Citywide Street Crime Unit as decoy officers. Donning different disguises, they walk the streets of the City's toughest neighborhoods, offering themselves up as bait for muggers and other lowlifes. This unit was responsible for taking a lot of guns and dangerous people off the streets. Unfortunately, in the wake of the Amadou Diallo shooting in the Bronx in 1999, it was disbanded. The arrival in New York of an international terrorist named Wulfgar(Rutger Hauer) finds the two Detectives temporarily reassigned to an elite counter-terrorist unit called ATAC. A British expert on counterterrorism in general and Wulfgar in particular(Nigel Davenport) is recruited by the Department to train the selectees in the different strategies and tactics they'll need to deal with this new threat. His character, Peter Hartman, is an old hand at understanding the terrorist mentality and how they operate. He is also a believer in "taking the shot" when the opportunity presents itself, even if it results in "collateral damage", or death to a civilian hostage. Stallone's character has a big problem with all this. He indicates that he didn't join the Department to kill people, whether they're street criminals, terrorists, or especially, innocent civilians. Clashing with Hartman at every juncture, he says he doesn't want any part of this and indicates to the Englishman that he's quitting the unit. His partner talks him out of it by telling him that Hartman sees him as one of the best and that's why he was chosen. In reviewing DaSilva's wartime kill record in Vietnam, Hartman tells him that he has faith that when the time comes, he'll do what needs to be done. Wulfgar is very intelligent, cunning and good-looking and his MO is to hook up with women he meets at discos and move in with them, using their apartments as a safe house. When he meets Pam(Hilany Thompson), an airline stewardess, she asks him what he does for a living. Knowing that she won't believe him, he tells her the truth- that he's an international terrorist wanted by the police in various European countries. When she stumbles upon his weapons stash in her closet after he moves in with her, she realizes too late that what he told her was not a jocular remark. When the police find her body they also find a clue that he inadvertently left behind indicating what his strike target here in the City will be. DaSilva and Fox start scouring the discotheques with the woman's photo in hand to try and get a line on whom she might have hooked up with. They hit paydirt when DaSilva spots whom he suspects might be Wulfgar at a disco with his newly altered facial appearance, courtesy of plastic surgery in Europe. DaSilva uses the police trick of staring Wulfgar down to see if he gets hinky and Wulfgar realizes he's been "made." A chase into the subway ensues, with Wulfgar taking an elderly woman hostage at knifepoint. DaSilva gets him in his sights but doesn't take the shot out of fear of hitting the hostage. In the ensuing chase, Sgt. Fox is ambushed by Wulfgar, who slices his face open and then makes good his escape. DaSilva, whose button has now been pushed, will no longer harbor any illusions about what he's dealing with. Wulfgar's associate in terrorism is one Shakka Holland, played by the beautiful late Indian actress Persis Khambatta. She is so effective in her portrayal of a coldhearted woman who kills without compunction or remorse, that your blood will be chilled when you see her on screen. Without even saying anything, she will terrify you. You will not forget the look on her face. It will definitely haunt your dreams. We all know that the movie is leading up to a climactic confrontation between DaSilva and Wulfgar. And we know when that moment of truth arrives that DaSilva, now effectively disabused of his "I'm not here to kill anyone" philosophy, will indeed do what needs to be done. I won't reveal the ending here, other than to say that it reflects well on his training and experience in the Street Crime Unit. This is a well-crafted film with excellent performances, beautiful photography, and a storyline that will resonate with the viewer on a visceral level. It will keep you hooked from the opening sequence until the end, this is a very underrated Stallone film and well worth checking out for anyone in the mood for a good action thriller

• Mister C

  
  Sylvester Stallone and Billy Dee Williams together in this exciting suspensful cop thriller.

• First L

  
  In the late 70s-early 80s, police were encouraged to beat up criminals, knocking out teeth and breaking bones whenever possible. Deke (Stallone) is not above dressing up like a lady (despite the full beard) to lure in would-be muggers for he and his partner Detective Fox (Williams)… More
  In the late 70s-early 80s, police were encouraged to beat up criminals, knocking out teeth and breaking bones whenever possible. Deke (Stallone) is not above dressing up like a lady (despite the full beard) to lure in would-be muggers for he and his partner Detective Fox (Williams) to pistol whip and pound with fists whilst still finding time for his "lady" (the virtually unused Wagner). Meanwhile, we're introduced to an international terror organization led by the homicidal "Wulfgar" (Hauer), who kills a courier delivering a package to him and leading police to his door in the process. He leaves the courier, which was a mistake because the courier was delivering a passport with his photo on it. He's left with no choice but to alter his appearance with plastic surgery and make his way to the United States (where he's also going to start a new terror franchise). Meanwhile Deke, despite his flair for costumed pageantry, is picked for the anti-terrorist squad A.T.A.C (along with his hot-headed partner Fox), whose mission it is to track down Wulfgar and kill him. Deke though, is conscientious and doesn't want to be a cold-blooded killer. It's a weakness that leads to him allowing Wulfgar to escape at one point. Billy Dee Williams plays Tonto to Stallone's Kemosabe, and I mean that in every sense it can be taken. Once the scene of Wulfgar's initial terror attack is over, he never seems any more threatening than the muggers Deke is beating up (whilst wearing a dress, no less), and that's the main problem here: there's no sense of threat from this supposed terrorist. I can't help but think The Dark Knight was heavily influenced by this movie, but where the Joker was an actual menace and created real fear, Wulfgar seems a pale comparison. In fact, I'd call "NightHawks"' "The Dark Knight" without costumes and with less believability.

• Dean M

  
  From its explosive first scene to the breaktakingly suspenseful denouement, <i>Nighthawks</i>, about a police detective hunting a wily terrorist, is a thoroughly enjoyable, cool action film.

• Michael S

  
  One of the most underrated cop/thrillers around. One of Stallone's best perforrmances.

• Danny R

  
  A riveting, suspenseful cat-and-mouse thriller which well directed by Bruce Malmuth, concerning two undercover police officers Deke DaSilva and Matthew Fox, played excellently by Sylvester Stallone and Billy Dee Williams who are reassigned to a special unit run by a Interpol terrorist… More
  A riveting, suspenseful cat-and-mouse thriller which well directed by Bruce Malmuth, concerning two undercover police officers Deke DaSilva and Matthew Fox, played excellently by Sylvester Stallone and Billy Dee Williams who are reassigned to a special unit run by a Interpol terrorist expert nicely played by Nigel Davenport who is tracking a ruthless and cold-blooded international terrorist known as Wulfgar, played brilliantly by Holland's top actor Rutger Hauer in his American film debut, Hauer is absolutely chilling in the role and matches Stallone scene for scene, as a matter of fact his villain Wulfgar completely dominates this motion picture, he is a crafty and murderous fiend who rationalized his actions and has no problem blowing a department store full innocent victims including children for his cause. There are plenty of hair-raising moments including a terrific chase through the Manhattan subway and a showdown on the Roosevelt island tramway car above the East River. Outstanding supporting performances by Joe Spinell, Persis Kahambatta and Lindsay Wagner. An entertaining cop thriller from the early 80's. Highly Recommended.

• Andre T

  
  Thriller film starring Sylvester Stallone, Billy Dee Williams, Lindsay Wagner, Persis Khambatta, Nigel Davenport and Rutger Hauer. It was directed by Bruce Malmuth. The original music score was composed by Keith Emerson(of Emerson, Lake and Palmer).A good movie, with great… More
  Thriller film starring Sylvester Stallone, Billy Dee Williams, Lindsay Wagner, Persis Khambatta, Nigel Davenport and Rutger Hauer. It was directed by Bruce Malmuth. The original music score was composed by Keith Emerson(of Emerson, Lake and Palmer).A good movie, with great finale.Check it out.

• Jonny C

  
  A highly underatted 80's thriller. Rutger Hauer gives a great performance as a terrorist planning to blow up New York. The only thing is, super cop Stallone is out to stop him. Check it out

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