Quiet Cool

Quiet Cool is not what one would call a quality film. The plot is contrived and often stupid, the characters are pretty one-dimensional, and some of the editing is a bit choppy. However, what the picture lacks in story, character development, and coherency is almost entirely made up for with the presence of great character actor James Remar in the lead. The guy isn't given much of a role to play, just to act tough and look angry, two actions he puts to maximum effect here. Normally stuck in supporting roles, Quiet Cool demonstrates that, had he been given the chance, Remar could have been become a solid action hero icon. It is very easy to seeing his role in Quiet Cool being played by Stallone, Bronson, or Schwarzenegger. It follows the 80s action formula of one man taking on an entire gang of bad guys, with little to no help from anyone else. What separates this particular action-adventure from the likes of Commando and First Blood is the mix of genres. Director/co-writer Clay Borris incorporates a distinct western style not shown in many action pictures of the decade. In addition, Borris also mixes in elements of the buddy genre, the revenge genre, and the cop genre in a way that doesn't seem forced or uneven. Adding to that a couple of decent one liners and some humor, Borris leaves his own stamp on what could have been just a boring, routine story that the audience had seen a hundred times before its release in 1986. This one deserves more attention than it gets. 7/10