It's no definitive masterpiece but it's damn close.

It is both painfully honest and laugh-out-loud funny at the same time.

The movie's neither hopeful in contrived ways, nor hopeless in different contrived ways. Somehow it manages to be wonderful

An old-fashioned movie made with new-fashioned finesse.

"Ricochet" was one of the lesser movies that Denzel signed to be in, before he got the Academy Award for his supporting role in "Glory" ('89) that enhanced his status in Hollywood as a serious actor and a bankable star.Directed by the visual mogul, Russell Mulcahy, the well-known music videos' director and responsible for one of the most visually creative fantasy films from the 80's decade: "Highlander" ('86), his turn on the action / thriller genre with "Ricochet" was even a bigger step backwards than "Highlander 2 - The Quickening" ('90) which was critically torn apart and flopped hard at the B.O.The major problem with Russell Mulcahy's films are that, even if he's an acomplished director to compose stylish visuals and stage creative and peculiar scenes that works so well on screen, on the other hand he isn't much of a storyteller, and the writing for his movies are mostly, from passable to bad (with the noble exception of the aforementioned, "Highlander"). He also have a great sense of how actors can look the best on screen, to have a presence and doing their best to act their parts physically, but unfortunately he never was a good director of actors and sometimes the bland dialogue given to his characters didn't help either."Ricochet" is an action / crime / thriller film that lacks realism, congruence or logic, being nothing more than an over-the-top mess, that is even too sordid and gross to be called a 'cheesefest' like its counterpart movies from the 80's.Fred Dekker ("Night of the Creeps" ('86), "The Monster Squad" ('87) & "House" ('89), who signed the original story, is an imaginative writer for fantasy / horror films, so as his co-writer, Menno Meyjes, a Spielberg's usual collaborator and Steven E. de Souza, from "48 Hrs." ('82), "Commando" ('85) & "Die Hard" ('88) fame, wrote the screenplay, so what went wrong here, for so much talented individuals present a ludicrous final draft ?Mulcahy's handling of the film is no better, some scenes are way 'off' and just inserted in for the sake of the director's egocentrism, like the out of place / silly behind bars' swordfight between John Lithgow and Jesse "The Body" Ventura (the former W.W.F. Superstar, better known for playing Blain in John McTiernan's "Predator" ('87), which was reminiscent or better, a "homage" to Mulcahy's previous "Highlander" films.Denzel acts too straight serious for the movie's ridiculous tone, looking like he was thinking that he was in the next "The Silence of the Lambs" and John Lithgow plays his usual screen personna: the wicked and demented individual which is also very intelligent and stylish and then makes a stupid move out of nowhere for the hero to save the day. Lithgow is always exquisite & over-the-top / hammy in this kind of roles, but his fans will love him no matter what, 'cos the actor never disappoints.The rest of the cast are as useful to the overall plot as umbrellas in a sunny day: Kevin Pollak is totally dull and his death scene / line exchange with Denzel is near Ed Wood's material; Lindsay Wagner plays it better, but lacks screentime and Ice-T, playing himself once again, is so irritating to follow and acts so lousy that makes Keanu Reeves' a Sir Laurence Olivier in comparison.The only way you can enjoy "Ricochet" is if you're a fan of Golan-Globus produced B-films from the decade earlier, and even Cannon Group released far better and entertaining action flicks that, at least, did not take themselves so seriously.In short, "Ricochet" only wins in its polished visuals and scores at a "so bad, it's good" level that worths a watch, besides that it may be for Denzel nowadays what "Bachelor Party" is for the now established and respected Tom Hanks, but at least the latter is funny and entertaining, whereas "Ricochet" is a failed attempt at whatever they were suppose to be doing and an almost embarrassing product for the resumé of the all involved.

I watched this a lot when it first came out on VHS. As a teenager this appealed to me it had it all, the action, swearing, sex and violence. I haven't seen this movie in over 20 years and I think I love it more now then I did then, but mostly for nostalgia reasons.It is very cornball. I think it was a written around how much shirtless time Denzel Washington would get. The plot is very straight forward good guy vs bad guy - guess who wins in the end. But it is fun, thoughtless entertainment. The acting is great from everyone. Jon Lithgow as a badass works well. This is the type of movie other movies and shows make fun of. This could have been in the movie this is how formulated it is: (2 cops talking) "Hey partner, check it out it's a picture of me and my wife on my new boat the live4ever, yeah soon as we catch Mendoza I am going to sail around the world. Can't wait to retire" < quote from a soon to be dead cop. It's a fun movie worth a watch.

"Ricochet" is a movie worth seeing (renting) for its two lead actors; both of whom approach this movie with gusto, not to mention serious talent: Denzel as the righteous crusader attorney, and Lithgow as the bat-guano crazy killer. Lithgow plays the hell out of the psycho here, not the scenery-chewing bad guy you picture from "Cliffhanger", but the unhinged and unpredictable kind. The mindscrew he puts Denzel through in this movie is something else, man. Way out there.Sleazy and over-the-top are both very good descriptors for "Ricochet", which isn't at all what I'd expected. It does have that early '90s violence (you know it when you see it), but a lot of it's shot like a music video; it's kinda surreal. Ice Ti's character/subplot is awkwardly shoved in there, but on the other hand, Kevin Pollack's a reliable presence. I do love that Mary Ellen Trainor's playing the same character she did in "Die Hard") it's so random). This holds your attention, but it's also fairly forgettable.6/10

You know what they say about sex. Well, the same applies to Denzel Washington. Even a bad Denzel flick is better than no Denzel flick.I'm not saying this is a bad flick, but the story line is pretty predictable. The racial overtones, the rough language, the hard action - all in Denzel's films, but in others it is a little more polished.John Lithgow plays the criminal out to get revenge and boy, is he scary! I wouldn't want him after me. he makes Hannibal Lecter look saintly.And, for those fans out there that like having a rapper in their movies, we have Ice-T. Totally cool!