I think this is a new genre that they're all sort of working their way through it and haven't got all the kinks worked out yet but it's a genre that works for me.

Story: It's very simple but honestly that is fine.

Exactly the movie you think it is, but not the movie you want it to be.

Yes, absolutely, there is fun to be had, as well as many, many things to go boom, all amid an atmospheric urban jungle.

A remake of Out of the Past, 'Against All Odds' is A Passable Noir-Thriller, that isn't power-packed nor is it weak. Its thoroughly watchable, but never gripping enough to leave you awe-inspired. 'Against All Odds' Synopsis: A gangster hires an ex-football player to find his girlfriend. When he finds her, they fall in love, and the twists start to appear.'Against All Odds' has an interesting premise, but it never pushes the limits. Its a so-so Noir-Thriller, that does have some terrific moments, but it isn't entirely wholesome. The twists & turns in the narrative do hold an appeal, but they could've been sharper nonetheless.Eric Hughes's Screenplay is passable, but it needed a much stronger punch. Taylor Hackford's Direction is classy. Cinematography & Editing are okay. Larry Carlton's Score is beautiful.Performance-Wise: Jeff Bridges delivers a credible performance, as always. He enacts the protagonist torn between love & conspiracy, with conviction. Rachel Ward is effortlessly seductive, but also heartfelt. James Woods does well as the villain. The Late/Great Jane Greer leaves a mark. On the whole, 'Against All Odds' can be watched once.

The Argument that You can't Transfer Film-Noir to Modern Times is Weak at best. Talented Filmmakers have Done it Repeatedly and it Can Work. It has been Termed Neo-Noir. Of course, it is a Tricky Transformation and the result has Not always been Successful. There Are some Great Neo-Noirs out there, but this is Not One of them.Director Taylor Hackford said that He did not want to Remake "Out of the Past" (1947), So why did He? It's OK to imagine a Metamorphosis and tailor the Film to Current Sensibilities, Style, and so forth, but Here it Hurts and the Mediocre result is anything but effective.Somehow, the Core of Noir is Lost among the Steamy, Sweaty, Sex Scenes and the Sheen of 1980's crowd pleasing Fads. Music Video Styling and Shallow Representations of the Femme Fatale Fails to intrigue. The Crisp Noir Dialog featured in the Original falls flat and the Actors seem to be Struggling to Make This WorkOverall, Not a Bad Movie, it is Just Unremarkable. Jeff Bridges at His physical Peak of Manhood, seems a bit Whiny on Top of the Tan and Gym Tone and Rachel Ward is a Less than Great Actress and is almost Awful and here Shows No Range of Emotion. James Woods gives the Best Performance but for Him it is a notch Below His usual Show Stealing abilities. Richard Widmark Playing the reprehensible Money Man, a Rich Slime Bucket, is Fine, but again, about Average for His later day Movies.You Know the Movie is Struggling for attention when Just about Everyone Relates to the Film through a Pop Song. A Pop Song? Now that's Definitely Not Noir, in Any Era.

Loosely based on a 1947 film noir, "Out of the Past," Taylor Hackford's "Against All Odds" has strong performances in all but the most critical role. Jessie, a confused disoriented heiress, is the romantic obsession of two men and the crux of the film's action. However, Rachel Ward fails to convince that Jessie could obsess anyone with her flat delivery and phoned-in performance. Jessie runs off to Mexico to snorkel and shop, and her gangster boyfriend hires an injured football player to find her. Sending a handsome hunky athlete off to find your girlfriend at the beach is not an inspired idea, and both the expected and the unexpected ensue. The twisted convoluted tale occasionally meanders, and the pacing falters at times. However, when the sweaty romantic scenes are over, the plot manages to re-energize and re-capture attention towards the fade out.Despite her physical beauty, Ward is the black hole at the film's center. However, her two co-stars are more captivating. James Woods can play slimy gangsters in his sleep, and his Jake Wise is appropriately chilling and creepy, which makes Jessie's attraction to him even less convincing. Evidently Jake had a brain fart when he decided to hire Terry Brogan to search for the girl who deserted him, because Jake and Terry are worlds apart in the looks and charm departments. Jeff Bridges's athletic Terry, who has history with Jake, is unwittingly drawn into a vortex of corruption during his search for Jessie. Although always watchable, Jeff Bridges has had better and more demanding roles than an injured jock playing private eye. Despite a decent script adapted by Eric Hughes from Daniel Mainwaring's original, the film's central mystery is why Jake and Terry would be hopelessly drawn to a shallow drifter like Jessie. Ward received top billing over Bridges and Woods, another mystery as baffling as any in the plot.Experienced veterans provide solid supporting performances, led by a still-handsome Richard Widmark, who, at age 70, remained a commanding presence. In a nod to film buffs, Jane Greer, star of the 1947 version, appears as Ward's cold distant mother. Location work in the Mayan temples of Mexico's Yucatan is travel-log appealing, and the end credits feature an Oscar-nominated title song by Phil Collins. An exciting car race through Los Angeles traffic is thrilling, if pointlessly reckless. Although "Against All Odds" runs more than 20 minutes longer than the 1947 original, Bridges and especially Woods are compelling enough to hold attention even when the tricky plot wanders.

How do I hate this movie: let me count the ways. Unsympathetic characters; silly plot; no suspense; terrible editing; LOTS of "filler" between key scenes; an Eighties time capsule with the ugly interior decor, big hair, and period clothing. Seeing Rachel Ward slipping in and out of the era's baggy clothing made me long for "Flashdance" instead of this tripe. As one of the other reviewers noted: 2 hours out of my life wasted.Anything positive to say? Phil Collins' song is good; the car chase is pretty good; the Mayans were phenomenal architects. Chichen Itza and Tulum are the most interesting characters in the film. Lastly, a noir-ish film star from an earlier era, Jane Greer, playing Ward's mother, shows that she aged gracefully.