Andrew Davis directs Harrison Ford, Tommy Lee Jones and Joe Pantoliano in this remake of the classic TV series where a doctor (innocent of his wife’s murder but convicted) goes on the run from a determined US marshal, trying to find the one armed man really guilty of the crime.

Cinematic perfection. Two gold standard leads give iconic performances. The action is tip-top, amazing stunts sell impossible situations. An opening hour of spectacle and desperation gives way to a second half of smart mystery solving. Ford must find his wife’s killer with minimal help and limited freedom, while Jones tracks his needle in a haystack with a crack team and relentless bravado. The dual detective thrillers competing against each other are told with logical assurance, unfussy Hollywood craftsmanship is showcased immaculately here. And the gorgeous wintery cinematography by DoP Michael Chapman and James Newton Howard’s badgering yet manipulative score package the whole classy thrill ride tightly with a bow. A fantastic blockbuster for adults that holds up impressively 25 years later. There are 130 minutes of dense storytelling here, not one of them is wasted, nor unnecessary.

10