Even the most formulaic films can be good if the formula is applied in efficient and believable manner. Sadly, it was not the case with Renegades, 1989 action film directed by Jack Sholder, which took too complicated path to employ its buddy cop formula.
The plot begins in Indian reservation from where young Lakota tribesman Hank Storm (played by Lou Diamond Phillips) accompanies tribal delegation which is to present sacred lance – tribe’s oldest and most precious artefact – in Philadelphia art museum. In the meantime, Philadelphia police detective Buster McHenry (played by Kiefer Sutherland) goes deep undercover in an attempt to flush out his corrupt colleagues. He infiltrates gang of criminals led by vicious Bobby Marino (played by Robert Knepper) and takes part in what was supposed to be a simple jewelry store robbery. The heist turns bloody and participants are forced to flee and during their escape they stumble into museum where Marino impulsively steals the lance and kills Hank’s brother. Soon afterwards Buster is shot and left for dead by Marino, but, thankfully, his car has been tracked by Hank who nurses him back to health with the help of Red Crow Storm (Floyd Red Creow Westerman), his medicine man father. Hank did so only because he wants to bring back the lance; Buster, on the other hand, needs help to clear his name because police thinks that he took part in robbery for real. Both men, initially distrustful of each other, gradually learn to work together and bring down Marino and his cohorts.
Renegades, despite being one of many buddy cop films made during the time, looked promising thanks to names involved. Director Jack Sholder created quite an impression two years earlier with inventive plantation of buddy cop formula into science fiction genre in The Hidden. Lou Diamond Phillips and Kiefer Sutherland have worked surprisingly well a year earlier as part of ensemble cast in action-packed western Young Guns. Sholder as director does solid job, especially in the first part of film, which features some spectacular action scenes and good stunt work. Phillips and Sutherland also do good job, obviously trying to give good impression in their early starring roles. However, their efforts are ruined by David Rich’s script which almost completely fails to deliver humour as an important ingredient of buddy cop formula. Rich instead creates rather complicated and ultimately unconvincing set of plot developments in order to establish pairing of Hank and Buster. To make things worse, having Native American (or “Indian”, as it was “politically correct” term at the time) protagonist was an excuse to indulge in some ethnic stereotyping and cliches that involve great skills at tracking, knife combat and even mystical powers that involve magical healing and telepathy. Rich’s script applies the same approach to Italian American villains who are almost all depicted with a taste for high fashion, hair gels and Italian cuisine.
But the worst part of the script is detail that could have been most subversive. Rich, apparently concerned that the film lacks female characters, and half way point introduces beautician played by Jami Gertz. She, after serving hardly any purpose for the plot, leaves the film in one of the most pointless scenes in 1980s action cinema. That scene could have been shocking or could have created basis for emotional payoff at the end, but, instead, protagonists forget it before the predictable big nighttime showdown near the end. Even with such flaws, Renegades could have been somewhat entertaining, but the annoying soundtrack by Michael Kamen, which overplays Native American motives at the most inopportune moments, makes Renegades unworthy of attention for anyone but 1980s nostalgics.
RATING: 4/10 (+)
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