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Released by: Umbrella Entertainment
Released on: October 18th, 2022.
Director: Michael Lehmann
Cast: Bruce Willis, Danny Aiello, Andi McDowell, James Coburn
Year: 1991
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Hudson Hawk – Movie Review:
In Michael Lehmann.s 1991 film, Hudson Hawk, Bruce Willis stars as Eddie "The Hawk" Hawkins. He was once the world's most famous cat burglar but then he got caught and, well, he did a decade or so of hard time to pay for his crimes. Now that he’s a free man once again, Eddie says he’s going to stay on the straight and narrow – no more crime for him! But you know where this is going, right?
Eddie’s partner and pal, Tommy Five-Tone (Danny Aiello), is in trouble. He’s being blackmailed by the mob and the F.B.I. both of whom have got some pretty heavy dirt on him that he’d prefer not be exposed. What do they want in return? The theft of three paintings done by Leonardo DaVinci, currently held in the world’s most prestigious art museum. And who does Tommy need to help him pull this off? Eddie, of course. So, he gets roped into this scheme but hey, on the way he finds romance with a beautiful nun named Anna Baragli (Andie MacDowell) and winds up getting chased by Minerva (Sandra Bernhard) and Darwin (Richard E. Grant) Mayflower, two villainous types out to take down the world’s economy.
Featuring supporting work from Frank Stallone and James Coburn, the cast makes this nonsense watchable enough. There’s no depth here, but there doesn’t really need to be. This film was made around the peak of Willis’ popularity and the filmmakers are clever enough to just kind of let Willis be Willis. As such, he’s does the whole ‘smirky, smart-ass’ thing here MacDowell is lovely as the love interest and Bernhard and Grant are funny as the foils. Aiello is Aiello, watchable in anything, even a much-maligned picture like this one.
And the truth is, while no one will likely ever argue that Hudson Hawk is a great movie, it is more than passable entertainment. It’s more the cast than anything else, but the cast is enough to help us get through it. The film doesn’t ask much of you, it’s breezy and fun, occasionally injected with some doses of effective humor and moderate charm. Once the end credits role you’re not left with anything to really think about, but you won’t hate yourself for having watched it. The whole thing is done with a wink to the audience – we’re not meant to take this seriously or see it as high art, just to enjoy the silly ride that it takes us on.
Hudson Hawk – DVD Review:
Hudson Hawk is framed at 1.85.1 in anamorphic widescreen on DVD and it looks decent, even if it’s clear that this is the same old transfer that has been making the rounds for some time now. This picture is clean and colorful with decent enough detail, though some minor compression artifacts can be spotted here and there. Nothing too serious though, and generally speaking both movies look quite good here.
Audio chores are handled by an English language Dolby Digital stereo track. The audio on this disc is clean and nicely balanced, no problems with any hiss or distortion to report. Optional English subtitles are provided.
There are no extra features on the disc at all, though it does come packaged with a ‘retro VHS’s style slipcover.
Hudson Hawk – The Final Word:
Hudson Hawk is a pretty fun watch, not a masterpiece by any stretch but perfectly palatable entertainment if nothing else. The barebones DVD from Mill Creek isn’t the special edition its fan base wants, but it’s a cost effective way to own a decent looking standard definition version of the movie.