Hudson Hawk

Hudson Hawk; action comedy, USA, 1991; D: Michael Lehmann, S: Bruce Willis, Andie MacDowell, Danny Aiello, Richard E. Grant, Sandra Bernhard, James Coburn, David Caruso

16th Century: Leonardo Da Vinci discovered a machine that can convert lead into gold. In 1991, burglar Hudson Hawk is finally released from jail and he immediately meets up with friend Tommy who again persuades him to steal. Hudson hesitates, but eventually agrees and gets involved into trouble when a retired CIA agent on one side and naughty Minerva and her lover Darwin on the other side pressure him to steal parts needed to construct Da Vinci's machine in order to rule the world. Hudson meets Anna who gives up her job as a nun because she fell in love with him. In the explosion of the machine, the bad guys die while Hudson and Anna fly away and save themselves, meeting up with Tommy who orders a cup of coffee.

Complicated-bizarre comedy of the adventure tone "Hudson Hawk" was torn apart by many grumpy critics and even proclaimed the "worst movie of the year", but it's still far above that black pit. Some compliments have to go to shrill director Michael Lehmann, but even he has problems coping with the messy story. Some of the best jokes are really funny: for instance, when Anna (Andie MacDowell), a nun, talks to the statue of Jesus Christ, and it really replies, glowing, because a hidden microphone is installed in it or when the pope takes his stick and kicks the TV set because he wants to watch "Mr. Ed Show". But, many characters are at the same time completely wasted and stiff, among them, unfortunately, even Sandra Bernhard - just because she looks "unusual", she got the role of the evil Minerva, the typical bad girl, but didn't get enough gags to back it up, while the ending is pure trash, filled with "casual" decapitated heads flying left and right as if it doesn't mean anything. It's a very uneven, but also very energetic and fun cult movie at moments.

Grade:+