8 Million Ways To Die Review

• 15th Sep 2011

A relatively unknown film, yet 8 Million Ways to Die boasts a fantastic cast and back-room staff. Leading the way is Jeff Bridges as alcoholic cop Matt Scudder, recently revoked from his position after a drugs bust goes awry, leading to the fatal shooting of a small time dealer.

As a result, Scudder drinks until he has lost his relationship with both his wife and daughter. He shakes things up by joining an alcoholics anonymous group, and becomes sober for a period. He then meets a hooker, Sunny, who is hoping to get out of the game. Scudder offers his help, but the young prostitute is soon found dead, and Matt falls back off the wagon.

What follows is the ex-cop (and now detective) searching for Sunny’s killer, and in the process meets other prostitute Sarah (Rosanna Arquette), William “Chance” Walker (Randy Brooks), a once devious man now gone legit, and finally  big time drug dealer Angel Moldonado, played by a not yet discovered Andy García.

The film is a typical hard cop film from the eighties, with everything you might expect from this genre. The difference between this and others is thanks to a screenplay written by a young Oliver Stone (screenwriter of films such as Scarface and Midnight Express). The script is not as clichéd as most are of this era, and the haul of talent on screen relish with this.

As a DVD release, not much on the extras front. None at all, in fact. A simple scene selection tab, or you could go all out and just play the movie. Not even an old trailer for the film. Now, the film wasn’t as popular as it could have been as it contains actors who were before their time, and as a result I can imagine that there aren’t a whole lot of interviews, or the need for a commentary. And as director Hal Ashby is no longer with us, we won’t be getting a director’s cut.

Is 8 Million Ways to Die a good film? Yes. Enjoyable? Almost definitely. Everything you’ll be expecting when you place it into your DVD drive, you’ll receive. There is no question of that. This gritty cop drama is a perfect addition for those who love the films of that time. If it’s a typical 80’s film you want, then look no further.

Chris Droney