It takes a moment for someone’s lifetime of work to be ruined and this is what happened to protagonist of Black Dog, 1998 action film directed by Kevin Hooks. Truck driver Jack Crews (played by Patrick Swayze) used to be very good at his job, but his career came to end one night when lost attention and caused fatal traffic accident. Years later, after being paroled out of prison where he served for vehicular manslaughter, he must make ends meet in different ways because his truck driving license is permanently suspended. He found low paying job of a mechanic in New Jersey shop which isn’t enough to support his family or prevent his home from being foreclosed. So, when his shady boss Cutler (played by Graham Beckel) offers him large amount to drive a truck from Atlanta to New Jersey without asking any questions, he reluctantly agrees. Despite knowing that he had little choice, he begins to have second thoughts when he is given irritating co-driver Earl (played by Randy Travis) and two suspicious looking men escorting them in accompanying car. Soon it turns out that the truck contains very valuable valuable shipment of illegal weapons and that it is the target of Red (played by Meatloaf), trucking yard owner who stops at nothing in order to seize it. Jack must use all of his driving skills to evade not only Red and his goons, but also federal agents who apparently have some idea what is really going on.
Black Dog is one of those disappointing films that fail not because they are bad, but because give too much hints that they could have been significantly better. Although basic premise isn’t exactly original and the combination of action and road film was employed with much more success in 1970s, script by William Mickelberry and Dan Vining adds little bit of realism and bit of social commentary by having characters from working class milieu. Kevin Hooks, director who had decent action pieces in his filmography, also adds some flavour by employing country and western music as part of soundtrack. Cast seems very good with Patrick Swayze, although past his prime as top Hollywood star, still able to carry the film and convincingly play protagonist. The most pleasant surprise among actors comes in the form of country and western singer Randy Travis who slowly but effectively builds something close to “buddy buddy” chemistry with Swayze. However, all this great effort is wasted due to script becoming subservient to the need for as much action scenes as possible, too much time at the expense plot consistency and common sense. What could have been true action classic ends up as routine and utterly forgettable genre piece.
RATING: 4/10 (+)
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