John Smith drives into the small Texas town of Jericho, where two gangs--one Irish, one Italian--are running bootleg liquor from the other side of the border. Smith smells an opportunity to make some money in Jericho. He decides to stay.
Walter Hill based Last Man on a Japanese film called Yojimbo (bodyguard) by acclaimed director Akira Kurosawa. Hill's version revolves more around violence than betrayal. And it is the violence that hurts the film. It is choreographed with such dramatic motions that it belittles the story. And that is too bad, because Willis' character is great. I always wanted to know more about what made him tick.
As for supporting roles, the Irish mob boss Dole, played by David Kelly, is a nice departure from the typical mob boss. Sure, he's tough as nails, but he also is madly in love with Felina, played by Karina Lombard, an Indian girl he won in a card game. Dole can run his business fine, until Felina flees.
Fatefully, a mysterious loner (Willis) passes through this besieged town looking for a place to spend the night. Calling himself Smith, the rugged drifter is polite, cynical and elusive; perhaps too cynical for the intimidating welcoming committee that vandalizes his car and tells him to look elsewhere for a place to rest.
When the crooked local sheriff (Dern) warns the stranger not to count on anyone for help, Smith takes the law into his own hands. In a daring assault on the gang's headquarters, he riddles the place with bullets and kills a top gunman. The mob is stunned by this brazen attack. But before they can retaliate, the rival gang offers Smith a job.
Then he becomes a man possessed. Surprisingly, Christopher Walken appears less in the film than the trailers lead you to believe.
His character, Hickey, who is the toughest, craziest, and scariest member of Dole's gang, is fairly unimportant in the whole scheme of things. Seems like the studio just wanted another big name to put on the marquee.
With a pervasive bootlegging war choking the life from this nearly extinct ghost town, Smith decides to cash in on the action. He cleverly hires himself out to each gang while remaining loyal to no one but himself. A soldier-of-fortune with his own agenda, he betrays both sides to the other in a bold attempt to destroy the bootleggers and rescue what remains of Jericho's shell-shocked residents. But a traitor can not live among mercenaries without being exposed and killed.
If you're a Bruce Willis fan, you will probably enjoy Last Man Standing. As for the rest of you, stay home and rent Yojimbo.
The Main Cast
John Smith.............................. BRUCE WILLIS Sheriff Ed Galt......................... BRUCE DERN Joe Monday.............................. WILLIAM SANDERSON Hickey.................................. CHRISTOPHER WALKEN Doyle................................... DAVID PATRICK KELLY Felina.................................. KARINA LOMBARD Fredo Strozzi........................... NED EISENBERG Lucy Kolinski........................... ALEXANDRA POWERS Giorgio Carmonte........................ MICHAEL IMPERIOLI Captain Tom Pickett..................... KEN JENKINS Directed by............................. WALTER HILL
