Broken Arrow (Film Review)

1996 20th Century Fox
Directed by: John Woo; Written by: Graham Yost
Starring: John Travolta, Christian Slater, Samantha Mathis, Delroy Lindo, Frank Whaley, Bob Gunton, and Howie Long
MPAA Rating: R; Running Time: 108 Minutes
The Nicsperiment Score: 8/10

While watching the fast-moving, disconnected back half of a train careen into the stalled, fuel barrel-laden front of the train, just as a character jumps out of the moving half, while simultaneously disarming a nuclear bomb inside that car that then, from the momentum of the crash, flies forward, impaling another character, who is then launched through the ensuing explosion, I realized, Broken Arrow is a movie for me.
John Woo's 1996 action thriller, his second made in America, stars John Travolta as the wayward Major Vic Deakins and Christian Slater as Captain Riley Hale, Deakins' partner who is now dedicated to stopping him. Deakins, from the comfort of the duo's U.S. military stealth bomber, has ejected Hale into the Utah desert, and dropped the plane's two unarmed nuclear weapons, with the intent to take them for himself, and ransom the nation. Unfortunately for Deakins, Hale has survived his bumpy desert-landing, and teamed up with Samantha Mathis' park ranger, Terry Carmichael, in order to stop him. Over the next 90 minutes, the three actors appear to have the time of their lives, as they chase each other across the beautiful American West, while simultaneously blowing a lot of it up. Any of the numerous helicopters that appear on screen are sure to explode at any second, while Woo ensures that each blazing shootout features as much beautiful kinetic movement as possible. Meanwhile, using a unique mix a synths, guitars, and horns, Hans Zimmer composes the greatest action score of his career, full of memorable moments that serve the onscreen events like the greatest musical butler of all time.
Sure, it's not that deep, but Broken Arrow is no slouch in the character department either, painting Deakins as an egotistical narcissist who's tired of the world overlooking his greatness, Hale as a boy scout who likes to fly stealth jets not because it makes him feel powerful, but because it's fun, and Carmichael as a ranger who just wants to save the day so she can go back home to her dog, and maybe Hale one day, though the film wisely keeps the pair's relationship status as sizzingly platonic.
There's a whole lot to love here, with far more care put into Broken Arrow's details than in many other films that DON'T involve enemy henchman getting chopped in half by helicopter blades, or someone impaled by a nuclear weapon. Woo, writer, Graham Yost, the actors, and the crew have ensured Broken Arrow is an insularly tight world of fun the viewer can and will want to return to any time...at least this viewer!