Extreme Prejudice

Director Walter Hill, initially revered for his unravelling of the male psyche and his lyrical expression of violence (à la Sam Peckinpah), has in recent years simply settled for violent action. Even though he is clearly in awe of Peckinpah's The Wild Bunch (which he can't hope to match), he does poke wry fun here at the central clichéd conflict between two old pals who each end up on opposite sides of the law. Hill is also aided by two actors who exude tough-guy behaviour with ease — Nick Nolte as the Texas Ranger and Powers Boothe as the chum-turned-drug lord.

"...Sensational....It is an exploitation picture but one with class: it has style...and thankfully, a dry, saving sense of humor..."