BURT REYNOLDS AND CLINT EASTWOOD TEAM FOR 'CITY HEAT'

Title: City Heat Stars: Clint Eastwood, Burt Reynolds Year: 1984 Rating: ***

Remembering the time, as a young action movie fan, when realizing CITY HEAT did not take place in an edgy modern setting — before the knowledge and love of Film Noir and/or Classic Gangster flicks — was a complete letdown...

Years have opened the mind, and, while remaining an overall dud to what it could have been given the collaborative talents of Clint Eastwood and Burt Reynolds, CITY HEAT has gotten a little more entertaining... 

Bruce M. Fischer and Clint Eastwood in ESCAPE FROM ALCATRAZ

Not really standing the test of time, it's leaned comfortably against it, somewhat, as for one, starting out with the human ogre who wanted Clint as his shower punk in ESCAPE FROM ALCATRAZ, both sitting beside each other in a corner cafe, Eastwood's cop, Speer, looks tough as ever...

And when flaky gumshoe detective Mike Murphy, played by a slippery, well-dressed Burt, arrives, there's a big fight that's worthy of the duo, and the otherwise mainstream director (and actor) Richard Benjamin plays up to Clint's fans by letting us wait... and wait... till he's pushed too far, as, after getting coffee spilled on his shirt, NARROWING those already-narrowed eyes, and that's pretty much that...

Bruce M. Fischer and Clint Eastwood in ESCAPE FROM ALCATRAZ

Though it's really just the beginning of a little thriller that uses Burt (initially partnered with flaky thus doomed investigator Richard Roundtree coupled with then-hot singing actress Irene Cara) for the comic relief, and Clint as an anchor, doing what he did in that opening fight... waiting for the mustached charmer to do all the expository "work" before stepping in, and, within the red-hued time-period night, shooting bad guys as dead as if it were DIRTY HARRY...

Eventually, after a pivotal death having to do with a crooked boxing scam, loads of cash, and introducing the villain, the boys, who were once lawmen partners, get together once again, and while there's too much silliness, and Jane Alexander doesn't have the looks to be a worthy wishbone between them, CITY HEAT isn't that bad a ride. Slightly above average, and with enough fists flying and guns firing for a rainy night stay home movie with two cool dudes, it'll just do.

Wolf in Peep's clothes Burt Reynolds from CITY HEAT

Clint Eastwood in CITY HEAT

Burt Reynolds in CITY HEAT

Burt Reynolds in CITY HEAT

Burt Reynolds in CITY HEAT