Summary

Arguably Denzel Washington ’s most shameful thriller is also a stealthDie Hardspinoff . Producer Joel Silver had a streamlet of megahits from the eighties forwards , have producedCommando , Predator , The Matrixand many more . Silver also produced the first twoDie Hardmovies , which had a sizable impact on action cinema . While action movies during the 1980s were dominated by indestructible , muscle - bound heroes played by Schwarzenegger and Stallone , give out Hardwas fronted by an all - too human everyman . Bruce Willis ' McClane bled , struggled and even cried , wreak a human element to the genre .

Even now , Die Hardis consider one of the best action moving picture ever made . Willis went on to front four continuation , though ironically , McClane became more like the invincible action protagonist he was once an antidote to . The pilot also created a templet for alike films , with deterrent example including Die intemperately on a Boat ( Under Siege ) , … on a Plane ( Passenger 57 ) or … in the White House ( Olympus Has fall ) .

Ricochet Is A Stealth Die Hard Spinoff Thanks To One Supporting Character

Die Hard had its own extended universe before it was cool

Ricochet is a 1991 action thriller directed by Russell Mulcahy , star Denzel Washington as Nick Styles , a greenhorn pig who becomes a hero after taking down a notorious villain . Years later , the villain , Earl Talbot Blake , run away from prison and search revenge against Styles , who must confront his tumultuous past times to finish him .

Ricochet is also connected to Die Hard with the theatrical role of Gail Wallens ( Mary Ellen Trainor ) , a newsman who covers the Nakatomi Plaza takeover and expressive style ' dip from goodwill in both films .

Something even devotees of theDie Hardsaga might not bring in is that it has its own spinoff . In 1991,Denzel Washington front action mechanism thrillerRicochet , where his fuzz turned adjunct territory lawyer Styles is tormented by vicious grampus Blake ( John Lithgow ) , whom Styles once arrest . yr later , Blake run away from prison house and sets out to destroy Styles ' report and animation patch by piece . Ricochetis also tie in toDie Hardwith the character of Gail Wallens ( Mary Ellen Trainor ) , a reporter who covers the Nakatomi Plaza takeover and Styles ' fall from grace in both films .

Bruce Willis as John McClane in Die Hard

Ricochetnever draws attention to thisDie Hardcrossoveror use any overt easter eggs related to the latter . Still , the factRicochetwas produce by Silver and the screenplay was pen byDie Hardco - writer Steven E. de Souza stool the connexion undeniable . ThisDenzel Washington moviehas some ocular nod to the 1988 classic too ; mode expend the terminal act wearing a dirty vest , he ’s seen firing McClane ’s hallmark Beretta and like Hans Gruber before him , Blake falls to his death in the close .

There are 5 movies in the Die gruelling franchise , with each one marking a new milestone in John McClane ’s high - stakes act of terrorism - destroy escapade .

Ricochet Is One Of Denzel Washington’s Darkest Thrillers

Ricochet and Die Hard are tonal opposites

What ’s crucial to note aboutRicochetis that it ’s more of a psychological suspense thriller than an action motion picture likeDie Hard . It has bursts of action , but the literal focus is on the mind plot between Styles and Blake . Lithgow ’s carrying out is unbelievable , with Blake being a monstrous figure who has made it his sole missionary work in life to rase Styles . This element makesRicochetone of the bleakest film Washington has ever appeared in , with Styles being subject to an intensify series of psychological and forcible humiliations by Blake .

Ricochetis currently available to stream on Max .

This let in being kidnapped , forcibly put in with drugs , and being infected with an STD.Ricochetcan be very lurid and unrestrained at times , though managing director Russell Mulcahy inject enough humor to keep it from fuck off too overwhelming . An earliest cutting was tell to be even more unpleasant , but the violence was toned back after test audience found the movie too blue .

Josh Hartnett looking shocked in Fight or Flight

What makesRicochetso harrowing is how convincingly Washington plays Styles ' crumbling mental Department of State , as the character is driven to despair while nobody believes his idle claim about Blake . Of course , Styles later turn the table , crystalise his name and gains his revenge , but his journey to get there is a grueling one .

Ricochet Was Almost A Dirty Harry Sequel

The script for Ricochet did not make Clint Eastwood’s day

Fred Dekker ( The Monster Squad ) compose the movie ’s screenplay on specification , andRicochetwas to begin with conceived as aDirty Harrysequelstarring Clint Eastwood . accord to an interview withThe Flashback Files , Dekker have it away the first twoDirty Harrymovies but feel the other sequels were lacking . Like the final product , theDirty Harryversion ofRicochetwould have followed Eastwood ’s San Francisco detective as he is direct for revenge by a crook he busted year before .

When Fred Dekker was briefly in line to directRicochethimself , he see Kurt Russell play Styles .

Producer Joel Silver institutionalise theRicochetscreenplay to Clint , who rule out it as " too black " for aDirty Harrysequel idea . The movie was then reworked as an original project , with no tie to the Eastwood serial publication . This was probably for the best since it ’s tough to render Clint ’s Harry being put through the same degree of badgering inflicted upon Washington ’s Styles . The film needed a quality more in theDie Hard , John McClane cast to work on , and it ’s doubtful Eastwood would have committed to the amount of torture required .

A collage image of Luke Skywalker in A New Hope

author : The Flashback Files

Die Hard follows NYPD officer John McClane as he attempts to deliver hostage , include his estranged married woman , from terrorists who have overtaken a Los Angeles skyscraper . Released in 1988 , this action film is noted for its cardinal character ’s resourcefulness and decision in overcoming overpowering odds with limited assistance .

Bruce Willis' McClane smoking in his dirty vest from Die Hard with Denzel Washington in his vest from 1991’s Ricochet

Custom image by Yeider Chacon

Ricochet (1991) - Poster - Denzel Washingtion as a cop

Ricochet is a 1991 action thriller directed by Russell Mulcahy, starring Denzel Washington as Nick Styles, a rookie cop who becomes a hero after taking down a notorious villain.Years later, the villain, Earl Talbot Blake, escapes from prison and seeks revenge against Styles, who must confront his troubled past to stop him.

Denzel Washington as Styles pointing a revolver and wearing a police uniform in Ricochet

Denzel washington ricochet clint eastwood sudden impact

01102562_poster_w780.jpg

Die Hard follows NYPD officer John McClane as he attempts to rescue hostages, including his estranged wife, from terrorists who have overtaken a Los Angeles skyscraper. Released in 1988, this action film is noted for its central character’s resourcefulness and determination in overcoming overwhelming odds with limited assistance.

Ricochet