1346. The Fugitive (1993)

Starring: Harrison Ford, Tommy Lee Jones, Sela Ward

Director: Andrew Davis

Running Time: 130 mins

The Fugitive is an American film about a man, accused and charged with the murder of his own wife, who finds himself on the run from a state-wide manhunt, while trying to uncover the real killer of his wife.

If you’re looking for an intense, well-written and hugely entertaining thriller, then stop right here, because The Fugitive is one of the best thriller movies of all time. With two fantastic performances at its centre, The Fugitive is relentlessly fast-paced, full of drama and intrigue at every second, making for a hugely engrossing and enjoyable watch for over two hours.

The one thing that I was so impressed with watching this movie was how it managed to completely engross me from start to finish. I’m not going to deny that its story is at times a little predictable, but because it’s directed so well, it moves at a fantastically rapid pace, mirroring the breathless and desperate attempts of our main man as he evades the law.

So, what this film does so well is give you an intelligent story that feels one hundred percent believable, and turn it into an end-to-end blockbuster that you can’t take your eyes off of. It’s fantastic to see a film that, despite having such a long runtime, manages to keep building on its narrative, and introducing new and important details towards the story at every moment, which is the fundamental reason that this is such a captivating watch.

One thing that I must point out is that this is so much more than a simple cat and mouse chase. Yes, the title and the first act may point towards it going that way, but that sort of story would be incredibly tiring and very repetitive over 130 minutes. Fortunately, The Fugitive takes a different direction and, whilst keeping up the epic manhunt that kicks it all off, introduces new story elements throughout to keep you on the edge of your seat right up to the end.

The plot in this film is undoubtedly fantastic, but one other element that makes it such a good movie is the central performances. Harrison Ford as Richard Kimble, the man on the run, is absolutely brilliant. We all know how likeable Ford is as a movie hero, and that works fantastically in this movie, letting you immediately support him despite his early conviction of murder, which turns the chase into an even more exciting spectacle.

However, don’t forget Tommy Lee Jones, who plays the US Marshal hunting Kimble down, and he’s just as good as (if not even better than) Harrison Ford. Although he may be in the role of the antagonist, Jones does a brilliant job at making his character just as likeable as Ford’s. He shows how hard-working, intelligent and charismatic the US Marshal is, which adds a wonderfully unique dynamic to the film, as it follows the stories of two men who you as a viewer like, but are battling against each other, something that is surprisingly very effective.

Overall, The Fugitive is a fantastic thriller. It’s not a perfect film, but it works so well as an intense ride that completely pulls you in from start to finish, making for an insanely entertaining watch, and that’s why I’m giving it an 8.2.