What a waste of my time!!!

Good story, Not enough for a whole film

Disturbing yet enthralling

The film makes a home in your brain and the only cure is to see it again.

The whole premise of this movie is really pretty stupid. Not so much the simple idea of holding a park illegally for a time as some sort of social statement, which to me seems only stupid, insane and pointless from the characters point of view, but especially the idea that the place was able to be so perfectly trapped without the guy getting caught over the length of a year. Firstly most of the traps are right out in the open, and there's no way these would have gone undetected in this time: roadside bombs, bombs in car trunks, dug out pits for people to fall into, bombs all over the forrested areas. To put that in perspective, he would have to be carrying hundreds of detonators with him; prety laughbale and hard to keep track of. Secondly, half of them are just so conveniently at the right place at the right time as is Mitch in order to defend himself.If not the worst aspect though, then at least no less damning to the film, is the reaction of the police. They don't even TRY to reason with him. He doesn't even have any hostages, has made no threats, and has asked for no ransom, and the police forces recklessly break into the park and launch assault after assault on him, risking many lives, clearly for cheap entertainment value, because honestly if this film was even slightly realistic, it would be pretty damn boring from THIS director, who I doubt could really capture much emotional depth which this movie for the mostpart fails to do aside from a few little contrived moments.I decided to check this movie out just to see what they came up with, but in the end it really was not worth it. Don't bother with this film unless you're a Tommy Lee Jones fan who in fact does act the part fairly well. Instead, watch a REAL hostage type film like "Dog Day Afternoon", you'll likely be much less disappointed.

**SPOILERS** Like most Vietnam Vets Mike, Eric Peterson, was lost in the shuffle when he came back from the war with severe mental and emotional problems. Mike was totally ignored by both the Veterens Administration and his family members feeling that he was just too unstable and ill-tempered to have anything to do with. Seeing no way out of the hell he found himself in and no one to turn to Mike did the only thing that he felt that could do to take him out of his miseries; jump to his death from the top of the fleabag hotel he was staying in.Sending a letter to his fellow Vietnam Vet and good friend the also very troubled Mitch, Tommy Lee Jones, Mike wanted him to finish the job that he started out to do. Take over New Yorks Central Park for 72 hours, over the Veterans Day Weekend, and hold it all all cost. This bizarre action would throw light on not only the forgotten and ignored veterans in the city and country but all the other unfortunates who slipped through the cracks and were left out in the cold by an ungrateful and unfeeling nation. Mitch took up with where Mike left off arming himself to the teeth with and arsenal of weapons, that Mike hid all throughout the park, and ammunition that would equipped a fully armed and supplied infantry battalion. By the time the 72 hours were up Central Park New York City or for that matter the entire country would never be the same again and neither would Mitch. A bit overdone, one man holding off the entire NYPD of over 30,000 men & women, but still powerful film that has to do with a person who was driven to do the impossible, as well as insane, and in the end succeed against overwhelming odds. Where at the same time not really knowing, or even caring, if he lived or died throughout the ordeal that he not only put himself but the entire city of New York through.Tommy Lee Jones is perfect, and in fighting trim, as Mitch the man with the plan who takes on all comers in his determined attempt to hold off the entire New York Police Department, as well as a number of hired anti-guerrilla foreign mercenaries, to call attention to the sad and sorry plight of his fellow Vietmnam Vets like his late friend Mike. Not wanting to hurt anyone Mitch used for the most part magazines of blanks and non-lethal explosives to hold off the NYPD and unites of the New York State National Guard. It's when the man in charge of capturing him the politically conscious Deputy Mayor Dix, Peter Dvorsky, orders the police to shoot to kill and even brought into the park armed and kill crazy mercenaries Mitch had no choice but but was himself forced to shoot to kill and ask questions later.There's also photo journalist Valery Weaver, Helen Shavers, who ends up getting trapped inside the park, trying to get the big story, and becoming Mitchs hostage and later biggest supporter. Valary ends up filming Mitch's every action and statements to show the outside world just what he's really all about. Valerys involvement with the troubled Vietnam Vet almost has her killed by he two mercenaries who were sent into the besieged park by Deputy Dix to kill him. We also have Mitch's old lady Rachel, Gale Garnett, who refused to have anything to do with her husband and didn't even let Mitch see their infant son. Rachel feels now, after what Mitch pulled off, if she only paid some attention to him all this would have never happened. And last but certainly not least there's NYPD Captain Eubanks, Yaphet Kotto, who despite his boss' double-dealings and double-crossing of the fugitive Mitch refused to go alone with them. Risking suspension or even termination of his job. Capt. Eubanks in the end is the person who got Mitch, after the 72 hours were up, to turn himself in with a minimum of violence and destruction.The end of the movie has Central Park light up like a Christmas Tree with Mitch setting off all the explosives that he had still left to let those who tried to stop him, as well as most of the people in the city who were pulling for him, see that he got his message through even though it may well have cost him his freedom. Mitch showed in what he did that for the 72 hours had New York's Central Park totally and completely under his control and no one, not even the entire NYC police force, could take it from him.

The idea is absurd - a Vietnam veteran who feels that Vietnam vets have been poorly treated by the country they served decides to single-handedly take control of New Yorks Central Park by force of arms as a social protest.But the vet is dyeing of cancer (courtesy of agent orange exposure during the war) and commits suicide before he can complete his plan. So instead, he leaves a long letter to his war buddy Mitch (Tommy Lee Jones), asking him to complete the plan in his place.At first, Mitch thinks the plan is as crazy as... well, as it is. But after a series of disappointing encounters with his ex-wife, his landlord, and some snotty NYPD cops, he gets angry enough to complete the plan and take over Central Park, keeping everyone out with explosive booby traps and gunfire (blanks at first) for 48 hours until Veteran's Day.The city administration is understandably upset by this action, and after a police assault to capture Mitch fails, they hire a pair of mercenaries to simply kill him.Complicating matters is an overly ambitious TV reporter (Helen Shaver) who sneaks into the park on her own to try for an interview, and a Swat team leader (Yaphet Koto) who sympathizes with Mitch but wants him out of the park as much as the administration.This movie has it all - action, suspense, drama, a few unsuspected twists, and an ending that leaves you feeling both happy and sad at the same time.Originally made for HBO in 1985, this excellent action flick has unfortunately never been released on DVD. But with so much TV being released on DVD these days, I have hope that one day soon I will be able to add The Park Is Mine to my DVD collection.

Tommy Lee Jones, in an updated version of Taxi Driver, plays a disillusioned, disenchanted Vietnam Vet who only truly feels at home while on patrol. He takes over Central Park in downtown New York City in a believable scenario; seeking control, and seeking recognition, he dominates the city by shutting down the Park.Jones becomes the indigenous guerrilla, the one who controls the fight by setting the scene and drawing the inept Police into his traps. An excellent movie, ahead of its time, imagine a very human Rambo in downtown New York. The movie does not have a neat ending, like Taxi Driver or even Dog Day afternoon. Instead, it ends as you might like it too.