Split Second (1992)

Featured Audience Ratings

• David L

  
  Split Second is a movie that can be described as "Blade Runner meets Predator meets Lethal Weapon". While not as good as these three films, it is as much fun as any of them. Set in the partially flooded London of 2008, this film pits future cop Harley Stone (Rutger Hauer)… More
  Split Second is a movie that can be described as "Blade Runner meets Predator meets Lethal Weapon". While not as good as these three films, it is as much fun as any of them. Set in the partially flooded London of 2008, this film pits future cop Harley Stone (Rutger Hauer) against an intelligent monster. The monster, who wounded Stone and killed his partner three years earlier, is back and killing again. The unbalanced ("lives on anxiety, coffee, and chocolate") Stone is teamed up with straight-laced serial killer expert, Dick Durkin. The resulting clash of policing styles produces a lot of the movie's humor. Although the movie didn't have a big budget, it overcomes that with great acting, suspenseful direction, witty dialogue, and good use of London locations. Hauer's performance gives Stone some complexity, while the screenplay provides the character with a minimal, but nonetheless effective, backstory. Hauer is tough-as-nails when needed, but displays convincing tenderness in his scenes with love interest Kim Cattrall. As an aside, I find it amusing that Stone's apartment is a mess with pigeons living in it, while the gun cabinet is the only thing that's neat and tidy. Neil Duncan is a perfect foil for Stone as the highly educated (post graduate at Edinburgh, and then Oxford) criminologist, Dick Durkin. At first Durkin thinks Stone is nuts, while Stone thinks little of Durkin's brains-over-brawn approach. But over the course of the film the two develop a respect for each other. There are some problems with the film. The villain's origins and motivations are never really explained, and the ending is a bit weak which from what I heard came from some pre-release cutting. But all in all, the film succeeds in delivering 90 minutes of rewatchable entertainment. If your in the mood for a good b sci-fi action movie check it out.

• Dean M

  
  This sci-fi thriller is an average rip-off of the visuals of <i>Blade Runner</i> and the story line of <i>Predator</i>.

• Tsubaki S

  
  Cliche and predictable, yet more fun than any recent hollywood monster. Cattrall was looking good in those days, and Hauer was the guy for this type of roles.

• Dr Blood  

  
  All the performances are superb and it is a shame that this movie was so overlooked at the time. Unfortunately now that it actually is the 21st century, it's a bit anachronistic.

• Steve B

  
  A guilty pleasure, this one. Part Blade Runner, part Alien, part CHUD... it's ridiculous but fun.

• Aurelius D

  
  One of my favorite movies of all time. I can't believe I haven't had a chance to review it before now. Sure when you look at the "Thing" it looks like it is a prop that got cleptoed from Aliens but the movie is just balls out, big guns and great one liners. This is… More
  One of my favorite movies of all time. I can't believe I haven't had a chance to review it before now. Sure when you look at the "Thing" it looks like it is a prop that got cleptoed from Aliens but the movie is just balls out, big guns and great one liners. This is back in the day of Rutger makin good movies mind you, needless to say the plot is interesting, I'm sure many today would tear it apart but that doesn't make it any less a classic. You got Rutger who is the epitome of the rogue cop. His partner died by this "thing" that he is hunting and he has vowed to go after it always being just a step behind. Everyone thinks he's gone off the sane train as he carries "big big guns" and is often called paranoid. He lives on Ra-Ra's (chocolate mini donuts), coffee and nicotine. This guy is the character that bad asses are based off of. He's human/weaker side has a thin for his partners old wife Kim Cattrall and you see him soften when she's around. With the introduction of a new partner to watch over his shenanigans the two are on the hunt for a serial murder in "futuristic England" which apparently takes place in 2008. I remember watching this growing up and thinking about 2008 being the future, now it's a year passed. If you like some gratuitous violence and a sort of typical buddy cop movie where the straight edge sees that the crazy one is the only one that's in fact sane you can't lose. This movie is a classic and should be seen by everyone once.

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