Renegades ** (1989, Kiefer Sutherland, Lou Diamond Phillips, Jami Gertz) – Classic Movie Review 11,539

Director Jack Sholder’s 1989 American crime action thriller film Renegades stars Kiefer Sutherland, Lou Diamond Phillips and Jami Gertz.

Sutherland stars as Buster McHenry, a disguised city cop working as an undercover agent for the Philadelphia Police Department, who chums up with young Indian activist Hank Storm (Phillips) to bust a gang of murderous crooks, in this all-action pulp thriller.

It is a violent potboiler of a picture, made without distinction and any real attempt at credibility – but then how could it be believable with this plot? The ending is particularly lacking in credibility, leaving behind a feeling of annoyance and wasted opportunity.

Nevertheless Renegades has a basic gusto. It certainly rattles along, it is made with dynamic drive, and it is energetically played by the Young Guns duo, who deserve better material.

Renegades is a tough action thriller, with bursts of considerable violence and a spattering of strong language.

The British TV version cuts the swearing but not the violence!

Also cast are Robert Knepper as Bobby Marino, Bill Smitrovich as Detective Finch, Jami Gertz as Barbara, Clark Johnson as J J, Jack Blum as Keith Weinstock, Peter MacNeill as Detective Denny Ransom, Tom Butler as Detective Geddles, Paul Butler as Captain Blaloch, Floyd ‘Red Crow’ Westerman as Hank Storm’s father Red Crow Storm, and Gary Farmer as George Storm, Hank’s Brother.

It was released on 2 June 1989 by Universal Pictures.

Sholder wanted to outdo the car chase from his 1987 film The Hidden and asked stunt coordinator Mickey Gilbert to come up with something new. Gilbert devised two stunts: the car driving straight through the office and obliterating it, and the car driving up a ramp into a semi-truck and coming out the other end. The car chase lasted nine minutes but Sholder cut it back to seven.

It cost $16 million and took $20 million.

Derek Winnert 2021 Classic Movie Review 11,539

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