By Geno McGahee
There were a lot of attempts to create action stars in the 80s and 90s. Considering the money that guys like Arnold Schwarzenegger and Sly Stallone were bringing in, it made sense to give other actors with the right look a shot. Wesley Snipes is one of those guys and it seemed like all the elements were there, but he is just missing something and it is once again apparent in the 1993 film “BOILING POINT.”
Jimmy (Snipes) is a detective and his close buddy and partner is working undercover, making a deal with a criminal, Ronnie (Viggo Mortensen). Unfortunately, Ronnie kills him and takes off, and now Jimmy wants revenge. Ronnie, a former convict, is working for another guy that just got out of the joint, Red (Dennis Hopper), who is up to his elbows in debt to the mob.
You can’t go wrong with Dennis Hopper, especially when he’s in the role of a villain, and he plays this one up incredibly well. Red is manipulating Ronnie to do all of the dirty work as he fails to make any deals that would save his ass from the mob. All of his old contacts tell him to get lost and he has seven days to repay 50 grand or he’s going to be killed.
There is a connection between Red, Jimmy and Ronnie. All three have lady troubles. Red desperately wants to get back with his ex, Mona (Valerie Perrine), and he is very amusing in his attempts to win her back. Ronnie’s ex, Carol (Christine Elise), wants him out of her life, but he is a woman-beater and she is soon back where she was before, stuck with him and helping him in his criminal deals. Jimmy’s wife left him over the job and is now with another dude. So, this action film is checking boxes. It has the cop that is married to the job, losing his wife and also losing his partner to the bad guys. So, the formula is here.
Jimmy gets hot on the trail of Red and Ronnie as they plan to take out the mob. Red continues the manipulation and empty promises to Ronnie. Red is very good at not getting his hands dirty and even walks away with the suitcase full of money with his younger and naïve partner running away empty-handed with the promise of future riches.
I can’t emphasize how much Hopper adds to this film and how uneven it becomes when he and Snipes share the screen. Snipes has found his niche in later years, but he cannot hold his own in a scene with Hopper. I found myself rooting for Red in this film despite him being a bad guy. Hopper played it so well and Snipes was so dull and monotone in this. I couldn’t get behind him. The X factor that the major action stars of the time had is missing with Snipes.
BOILING POINT is a big disappointment. It was sort of confused, with an odd soundtrack that seemed out of place for the most part. Snipes had the look but there was no real emotion and his delivery was very monotone, which killed the film. Hopper would have shined even more had his opposition been better. Overall, I can’t recommend this one.
