Review by All Movie Guide
All Movie Guide
liked it.
We've all seen plenty of buddy movies in which our two heroes first hate each other before somehow finding mutual respect -- not to mention the time to blow up stuff. But clichés have to start somewhere, and 48 Hrs. set the trend for more than a decade's worth of copycat buddy movies. Murphy, who was still a cast member on
Saturday Night Live when he made his screen debut, is on fire from the first moment we see him, belting out an off-key "Roxanne." Murphy displays the kinetic combination of action and humor that would become his trademark. And no one can play the hard-boiled cop like the splendidly raspy Nolte. Their chemistry and Murphy's spontaneity carry the film. In fact, 48 Hrs. is worth watching just for a scene in which Murphy is let loose in a redneck watering hole armed with nothing but a badge, a smile, and a whole lot of attitude. Director
Walter Hill's exciting action sequences deserve a lot of credit for lifting this film above the usual fare, as do screenwriters
Roger Spottiswoode and
Walter Hill's one-liners. It's not perfect, and some clichés get tiring, even here -- why can't the bad guys ever shoot as well as the good guys? But if you've got a few hrs. to spare, 48 Hrs. is a great way to use them. ~ Matthew Doberman, All Movie Guide