Goodness. Where do we begin. There are so many great places to start.

We can begin Tommy Lee Jones and his Oscar winning turn and Samuel Gerard. The relentless and stubborn U.S Marshall is one of the best lawman roles ever scripted. I still look for opportunities to shout “I don’t care” with that same swagger of a man that refuses to stop
until he’s caught his man.

We can look at Harrison Ford, who made us feel every breath of desperation as he tries to clear his name in the murder of his wife as he tries to find the one armed man responsible. We’ll always talk about Indiana Jones and Han Solo, but we should look at this project more often.

There was that epic train wreck, which was state of the art special effects back then.

And of course, there was the waterfall jump. The shot which was featured in the ads and filled theaters to watch one of the best action adventures of the year and didn’t star a dinosaur. And
between you and me, I’d take “The Fugitive” over Jurassic Park any day. I remember this getting billed as a remake but I’m convinced this has overtaken the original when we discuss the mythology. And why not? There is so much to like here.

One scene that doesn’t get talked enough is that chase through the office building. The one that starts with Gerard yelling at his fugitive. “Richard!” he shouts in the stairway, like he’s known him for years, and the clever way that Kimball gets the building’s security to stop his would be capturer in a sequence that got a
big pop during my screening.

There was the score. Jane Lynch and Joe Pantoliano in memorable supporting roles. Chicago buzzing in the mid 90s. It alls flows so nicely until we get that terrific ending.

“I thought you didn’t care” Kimball says to Gerard in the car on the way to freedom.

“I don’t” he responds.

Well, thirty years later we all care about a film that will be great for as long as they’re being made.

The Fugitive 30 Year Anniversary

GRADE: A

Rated PG 13

Running Time: 2 hours 7 minutes