People are voting emotionally.

Tells a fascinating and unsettling true story, and does so well, without pretending to have all the answers.

Excellent and certainly provocative... If nothing else, the film is a real conversation starter.

There's a more than satisfactory amount of boom-boom in the movie's trim running time.

48 Hrs. (1982)**** (out of 4) A crazed criminal (James Remar) escapes from prison and soon a couple cops are dead. Detective Jack Cates (Nick Nolte) is thrown into the middle of the case so to try and track the psycho down he goes to visit a former partner, Reggie Hammond (Eddie Murphy). Cates gets Hammond released from prison for forty-eight hours to try and track down his former partner.48 HRS. was Walter Hill breaking into the mainstream after getting success with films like HARD TIMES and THE WARRIORS. This film was a huge box office success when it was released and it's easy to see why because it contains some graphic violence, non-stop action, some great laughs and a politically incorrect humor that is perfectly done by two excellent lead performances. The film really holds up well after all these years and it remains one of the greatest "buddy" flicks ever made.A lot of the credit has to go to the screenplay because it really does offer up a little bit of everything. The first twenty minutes are a rather violent and gritty police drama and then once Murphy is introduced we get more laughs but the film never loses its raw edge. It certainly remains violent throughout but the two lead characters are put into so many great situations that you can't help but enjoy the ride they're on. There are many classic moments here but the highlight has to be when Murphy enters a redneck bar and tears it apart.Nolte makes for a terrific, worn-out cop and he certainly plays the part masterfully. Murphy is brilliant as the sly con and it's easy to see why he became an instant star with this picture. The chemistry between the two men is something that very few films have matched as the two play perfectly well against one another and makes for a lot of great fun. Annette O'Toole is good in her scenes in the film and Remar makes for one of the most memorable villains from any action picture from the 80's.Hill does a masterful job at keeping the film moving at a very fast pace and there's no question that he handles the action, drama and comedy perfectly. 48 HRS. was the first of a genre that would eventually lead to countless action films dealing with two different types bring brought together to solve some sort of case. The film holds up extremely well after all of these years and it's rawness and politically incorrect humor really makes it stand out as something fresh and original.

It is a true classic, highlighting the true natural talent of Eddie Murphy. He and Nick Nolte play off each other well, and Nolte isn't too bad himself in the comedy department. Though his type of humor is much more subtle. He does get his digs in, on Mr. Murphy's expense, mind you. To the best of my knowledge, this was one of the first movies that combined excellent humor scenes with extreme violence and emotion. And while many tried to duplicate it, in later years, including other Eddie Murphy vehicles, such as "Beverly Hills Cop", nothing can compare to the original! However, the overall effort is marred by the thin plot and moments of such stupidity as to be jaw-dropping, rather than laugh inducing, especially concerning firearms and Nick Nolte's character, Jack Cates. What police officer of any training even if buzzed on whiskey complies with the order of a prime suspect in the murder of other law enforcement personnel to cede possession of his service weapon on the expectation of mercy? What police brass would not immediately remove this man from the force for negligent homicide of a fellow officer? Let alone give him another gun and put him back on the streets? Cates is one of the most inept hero characters I've seen on a screen. The crooks aren't that much smarter, though, since Cates manages to get them in the end with the help of his antagonistic convict partner, Reggie Hammond (Murphy), who's stupid enough to trust Cates with his loot. There are numerous exciting and hilarious moments, but none rival the bit where Murphy causes a stir in a redneck bar. More often than not famous movie scenes fail to live up to their lofty reputation, but in this case that simply isn't so. It really is an electrifying screen moment in a film that really is an electrifying screen experience.Overall rating: 9 out of 10.

Besides being a nostalgic walk through the San Francisco of my childhood, 48 Hours apprised me of something else--it was incredibly racist. I'm not talking about the subtle innuendo type racism; but the brash, in-your-face, N-word using, unabashed racism. Now, I know that it was done all in the name of comedy but I was shocked. I saw this movie so many years ago, and really, I'm sure I never saw the whole film because no way my parents would have allowed it. I think the little bit I did see was by popping in the VHS when they weren't home and I know now that I understood very little of it.This movie absolutely wouldn't fly today. The closest thing I've seen to it is Rush Hour, and even as much as Chris Tucker pushed the envelope with the subtle digs at Jackie Chan's Chinese heritage, you definitely saw that a line was drawn. In 48 Hours, no line was set--which is maybe why it was such a hit.Eddie Murphy was funny, though not nearly as funny as in other movies. Nick Nolte was all too good as the raspy voiced, surly cop. And Oh how can I forget the loud Black police captain played by Frank McRae. Did 48 Hours start that trend? 48 Hours is a classic but not nearly what I remember now looking through the lenses of an adult.

48 Hrs. had the right stuff in an action/comedy that worked perfectly. It's violent, foul mouthed, and there are laughs aplenty. It is hard to see these types of movies nowadays with the political correctness and Hollywood's main aim to attract wider audiences with toned down movies. Nick Nolte and Eddie Murphy (in his feature film debut) created a great chemistry as the hard nosed cop and fast talking criminal who are made reluctant partners to bring down a common enemy. Director Walter Hill has done a fine job and his midas touch with bringing gritty action movies to the big screen is sorely missed.The movie starts with Billy Bear (Sonny Landham, Predator) breaking Albert Ganz (James Remar, The Warriors) out of prison by staging a fight and killing three prison guards. Two days later, SFPD Inspector Jack Cates (Nick Nolte, Cape Fear) and two other detectives track down Albert Ganz and Billy Bear hiding out at the Walden Hotel in downtown San Francisco which ends in a bloodbath and two of the police detectives accompanying Cates are killed.Jack Cates is determined to bring down Albert Ganz and Billy Bear but must also enlist the help of a fast talking hustler Reggie Hammond (Eddie Murphy, Trading Places) to help track down Ganz and Billy who was also previously associated with the crazed criminals. Ganz and Billy are also killing off their previous associates and have kidnapped the girlfriend of another associate Luther (David Patrick Kelly, Commando) to find $500,000 that has been mysteriously stashed away in a hiding spot. Tracking down the crazed criminals won't be easy given that Jack Cates and Reggie Hammond have already developed an antagonistic relationship.In Eddie Murphy's feature film debut, he explodes onto the scene in a huge way, and his comedic talents have not been wasted for one moment. Nick Nolte as Jack Cates plays it perfectly as the straight man who doesn't always see eye to eye with Reggie Hammond and many others. James Remar and Sonny Landham make a great duo as the crazed criminals creating a rampaging path through San Francisco.Keep an eye out for many other character actors in small roles including but not limited to Jack's boss Captain Haden (Frank McRae, Lock Up), Jack's girlfriend Elaine (Annette O'Toole, Superman III), Inspector Algren (Jonathan Banks, Breaking Bad), and in other small roles Chris Mulkey (First Blood) as a patrol officer and Denise Crosby (Star Trek: The Next Generation) as Sally, the woman who attacks Reggie with a baseball bat.The movie has non stop foul mouthed, politically incorrect humour which counterbalances the strong violence, but there is no denying that 48 Hrs. is well worth the time. Nick Nolte and Eddie Murphy are certainly are at their likable best.9/10.