- Everybody knows the plot of The Fugitive. Dr. Richard Kimble, played in this film by Harrison Ford, is accused of killing his wife (Sela Ward). He claims that a one-armed man (Andreas Katsulas) did it, but the police and courts are convinced that Kimble is guilty. On the way to federal prison, a train accident frees Kimble, and he goes on the lam. While Kimble works to catch his wife's killer, he is tirelessly pursued by U.S. Marshal Philip Gerard (Tommy Lee Jones). That's the story, and all of it is established well within the first half hour of the film. The question, then, is why should we watch a man running around for another ninety minutes?
- Fortunately, the makers of The Fugitive must have pondered this very question, and they provide several great reasons to keep watching. The film's strongest assets are its exciting action sequences, two of which are among the most striking ever constructed. While films ranging from Hitchcock's Secret Agent to the more modern Batman Begins have shown that you can accomplish a lot with models, there is simply no substitute for a real honest-to-god train derailment. As if the derailment itself wasn't impressive enough, The Fugitive also shows off some very impressive helicopter shots of the wreckage. Again, obviously not a model. The second amazing action sequence shows Kimble doing "a Peter Pan" off the top of a dam. Of course nobody would survive such a plunge and of course the dam seems improbably tall for Illinois, but this is nonetheless a truly memorable escape. Did I mention the chase scene through Chicago's St. Patrick's Day Parade? Or the pursuit through a hotel laundry facility? The movie overflows with action set pieces that are appropriate, effective, and thrilling.
- The rest of the film's success stems primarily from its colorful cast of characters. Tommy Lee Jones is excellent as the gruff-but-lovable patriarch of a team of U.S. Marshals (the most memorable of whom are played by Joe Pantoliano and Daniel Roebuck). In fact, Jones' charisma and quotability are such that he almost overshadows Harrison Ford's sensibly understated Dr. Kimble. Playing the good doctor's corrupt opposite is Jeroen Krabbe as Charles Nichols, whose unconscious arrogance is far more compelling and believable than his eventual turn to violence. Andreas Katsulas is great as the shady Frederick Sykes, and even minor characters like the Chicago detectives (Ron Dean and Joseph Kosala) are incredibly convincing. Of course, my favorite uncredited character is the inimitable city of Chicago, which never looked better on film than it does in this movie. If you absolutely must become a fugitive, I can't think of a better place for it.
- I missed mentioning a lot of the cast, like Julianne Moore, Richard Riehle, and Jane Lynch (in a rare dramatic role).
- Twin Peaks obviously borrowed the name of Philip Girard and the idea of a one-armed man from the original TV show.
