Bad Movie Beatdown: Hudson Hawk (REVIEW)

[@FilmBrain]

Originally posted in October 2010, this is a re-edited version that runs 1m 15s shorter than the original, most tightening up the pacing and the film clips, and upscaled into HD, re-posted to tie-in with the remake of Death Wish. If you're wondering how Spoony is in this review, the story behind that is that he was originally going to an episode on the film and the video game adaptation, but decided to cancel doing the movie, because his opinion on it had improved; I had picked up the film in Poundland and wanted to cover it, and asked his blessing and for a guest spot which riffs on the supposed animosity between us over my written reviews of Transformers 2 and Inglorious Basterds. If I have a regret, it's that I really skimmed over the behind the scenes stories of the film, which are arguably more interesting than the film itself - if you've not read the chapter in Richard E. Grant's With Nails, I highly recommend doing so, it very much paints a picture of how the film ended up how it did. Enjoy! UPDATE: I've since joined Oliver Harper to revisit Hudson Hawk for a feature-length commentary, where I drop plenty of behind-the-scenes gossip that I missed out on the first time! kzbin.info/www/bejne/kKPSdJmIh5x9lZo

[@caravaggio1534]

Great review. My parents both love the movie, although I'm mostly middle ground with the movie.

[@thundertits]

did spoony ever review the nes game?

[@FilmBrain]

He did not.

[@angelined9814]

Does Spooney have a channel. I'm not seeing any info or link. Odd.

[@SJPMlover4ever]

Me While watching the spoony sections: "that one didn't age quite so well!". I'm glad you were able to free yourself to do more of what you wanted.

[@DokkaChapman]

Oh the irony of Spoony's cameo XD

[@devinharbert6071]

Don’t his appearance in Matthew’s review of Transformers Revenge Of The Fallen

[@zoepaulastrassfield2664]

“What can I tell you, I’m the villain.” “No s--.”

[@johnsummers9660]

I know I'm probably in the minority but I love this movie. I know it's objectively bad but it is so funny. There are so many great lines. It may be because this was the first R rated film I was allowed to watch in theaters but I think all the terrible jokes and musical numbers make this film infinitely rewatchable. Everyone I've ever told to watch this film has loved it. They all recognize that it's not a great film but it's still a hoot to watch. Again, there is a glut of one liners.

[@HBarnill]

I kinda liked this. It’s not exactly perfect (that rape joke didn’t need to be there) but it had that kinda energy that nearly reminded me of Last Action Hero with how over the top everything was. It’s the best Lupin the 3rd adaptation we’ll ever get.

[@dimitriwarchief301]

Yup. B besides all the better lupine Need to watch that movie

[@heymistercarter.]

10:49 Man, Richard E. Grant’s quote here can be used in so many things, be it in terms of villain intros or people just being hammy and crazy.

[@gageperuti5519]

This is one of those "so bad it's good" movies for me. I can't really get mad at action movies unless they're offensive or tasteless. And Hudson Hawk is at least fun to me.

[@BloodrealmX]

9:06 Was that a test tube rack full of uncapped, needle-end-up syringes? WHY WOULD THAT EVER BE A THING?!

[@davidjames579]

If the film was more competent it'd be shit, as it is it pushes it into being a joyous marvel, on a par with 1967's Casino Royale. What a movie!

[@JohnWEdmonds]

So, maybe I'm crazy.... but I would love to see this as a Broadway Musical... it's absurd, it's crazy...

[@D0pam1n]

I remember liking this as a kid. However, later I saw it for the mess it absolutely is. BUT, I can genuinely enjoy the mad acting of the Mayflowers (sometimes), the scene-overlapping cuts, the silly careless tone and whacky side characters.

[@markelijio6012]

Did you know? "Hudson Hawk" was Robert Kaufman's final feature credit as co-storywriter. Sadly, he died in 1993. RIP, Robert.

[@scottylewis8124]

Damn... That's sad to hear

[@hjscollages]

'"Back when he had a hairline to recede​." Ironic.

[@dreamlandnightmare]

Poetic justice.

[@angelined9814]

Waaaahaaa. Brutal.

[@bootleg317]

At least he made up for the facial hair joke.

[@heymistercarter.]

As for your comment about how comedy isn't Andie MacDowell's strong suit, she can do comedy really well... when she's given good material to work with like she was in Groundhog Day, and not when she's asked to play the damsel in distress who makes dolphin noises like she was here!

[@justdannyquinn]

Also, I'm not sure if Ready or Not but she was pretty damn entertaining in that too. I think it's just more that Hudson Hawk doesn't give her much to do.

[@gageperuti5519]

Honestly, that scene is so stupid it's hilarious. In fact, that's a good way to sum up the movie: so stupid it's hilarious.

[@mikagrossmann5370]

This movie is so idiotic, but I love it. I watched it for the first time as a child, when one tend to be more forgiving toward these sort of things. Plus, Willis is adorable and I absolutely love Richard E Grant (World... DOMINATION!!!).

[@heymistercarter.]

Yea, if you have a drinking game where you drink every time someone gets knocked out in this movie (especially Bruce Willis), you'd need a liver transplant by the time the movie's done.

[@LigerFan]

I'm just going to say it. I think the time is right for Hudson Hawk 2.

[@scottylewis8124]

A bit too late. He retired after a shocking brain ailment diagnosis.

[@LigerFan]

@@scottylewis8124 sure. Now. But back when I posted that statement 4 years ago?

[@heymistercarter.]

13:10 Aaaaaaand to quote Rocket Raccoon in the first GOTG: You've got issues Quill...

[@dvass7253]

Hudson Hawk? More like "WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT?!: The Movie".

[@otaking3582]

Remember when Spoony actually made videos? Neither do I

[@akiameko1984]

I never finished any of his reviews, because even when I agreed with him, he bent over backwards to be as big a fucking asshole about it as possible, even when it was so trivial that it was a passing mention as a connection point, and he never gave anything credit if he put down that he didn't like it. It was like watching that person who flat makes up things to complain about, and tries to make them double as ways to not admit it did something right. The way he treats his fans just made me glad I was never one when I saw the videos of people talking about it.

[@cerburrows9380]

Yes His dashcam footage video was great

[@JanetStarChild]

@strontiumXnitrate I can't tell if your reply is satirical; like if you're actually satirizing the typical man-child cry-baby arse-hat who shits on real disenfranchised minorities. If it is indeed satire, I gotta say, it's a spot-on imitation of these dipshit incels who believe that women owe them everything and only exist to service these selfish jerkwads, and that a movement that empowers women should be assaulted and eviscerated with great prejudice.

[@Mr_Bones.]

@@akiameko1984 i don’t know man, his FF-X review was spot on. of course, that game was a dumpster fire full of flaming cheese. i liked his review because i liked that terrible game so much

[@Gairith]

Oof. The Bruce Willis hairline comment didn't age well

[@lordvlygar2963]

Despite the legitimate hate it gets, it is still an entertaining movie, not ironically. Also, what hapoened to Spoony? I'm not joking, I seriously want to know.

[@electricdevil2422]

This happened years ago, but Spoony had some mental health issues and took time off to get better. He changed his format, but no longer does edited video reviews - he focuses on livestreams and projects on his Patreon.

[@lordvlygar2963]

Electric Devil Ahh, ok. Thanks.

[@SALshaNoma]

It's sad because I miss Spoony. He was one of my favorites to watch.

[@akiameko1984]

Down the Rabbit Hole has an episode about his downfall. Short version: His ego got so out of whack that no one could tell the difference, he made a lot of rape jokes about female reviewers he found attractive (Allison went after him *HARD* for his Jesu Otaku "basement slave" tweets), burned all his bridges outside of reviewers that would still put up with him, and every now and again, you see videos calling him out for being really ugly and abusive on his livestreams- Even by the standards of a bipolar II episode. I'm in the minority that didn't like Spoony, but what he's become... Yeah. The less said about it, the better.

[@ExplorerDS6789]

@@akiameko1984 I believe there still exists hope for Spoony. Maybe one day he'll appear in one of Linkara's videos, maybe fresh out of rehab, having gotten the help he needed, and he's going to reinvent himself.

[@anti-hero6579]

9:06 Um...why were all the syringes sitting point up in a holder?

[@WalkmanWillWalkAllOverYou]

I would like to see this movie remade, but done properly and actually good.

[@SebastianLundh1988]

The great old days. I can't believe my first viewing of this review is as removed from the present as it is from the late 90's.

[@nikolasmace9845]

Can you look at pumpkin head ?

[@TheFerretJuice]

I love this movie.

[@TheEmeraldWeirdo]

Another reason why the villains' plan is stupid: Most countries had abandoned the gold standard by the mid 1970s. All they'd succeed in doing is making gold a lot cheaper.

[@bijibadness]

this film's financial disaster is one of the all-time great Hollowood Mysteries. the finalized script was highly-prized and incredibly polished by the time pre-production began, and Bruce Willis famously demanded a small fraction of his massive salary due to the project being a passion project of his. also, the director was by then time an master professional craftsman renowned for his ability to bring in projects on budget and well on time. the film also tested through the _roof,_ and marketing had an incredibly easy job on its hands; male-dominated early '90s action movie audiences were well-known for their love of old-timey show-tune musical numbers and their incredible tendency to be patient and open-minded about stylistic atonality. wacky cartoon slapstick was what tough-guy macho audiences _craved,_ and that would again be proven just a short time later with the incredible and influential success of _The Last Action Hero._ we may never KNOW how or why _Hudson Hawk_ bombed. it's like _Hugo_ or _Blade Runner 2049_ . . . it had _everything going for it,_ but it seems the gods just hate quality entertainment.

[@illegalewahrheiten2911]

They didn't see the movie in post? If that shit tested through the roof the audience must have been rigged. It's pretty clear why it bombed.

[@theitfactorjameswheezer2852]

Last action hero was a bomb too. Tf are you on?

[@TemmiePlays]

True Nintendo didn't make the NES till 85, they _were_ making Game & Watch well before then.

[@devinharbert6071]

I’m surprised Tim curry wasn’t in this film.

[@anti-hero6579]

If he was this might actually be a classic XD

[@markelijio6012]

Well David, Tim turned it down.

[@christopherclack660]

I'm not Matthew Buck, swinging on a star!

[@jamesmcmahan1236]

I mean I know so much of the movie is “roll your eyes” jokes, but...it’s a fun, guilty pleasure for me. Not a top of the line guilty pleasure, but...well maybe.

[@HurricaneDDragon]

When I was a kid I loved the Disney Channel movie “Don’t Look Under the Bed”. As I got older and would see Richard E. Grant very rarely, he always had a place in my heart as the Boogeyman. I now know why he did a Disney Channel movie... Because Hudson Hawk killed his career.

[@dreamlandnightmare]

He was in the Academy Award-winning short film "Franz Kafka's It's a Wonderful Life" after this.

[@KatKaleen]

I really like this movie. It's part nostalgia and part the fact that I saw the german version, which made lots of changes to the dialogue to make it funnier. It's still no masterpiece, but that's where the nostalgia goggles come in.

[@FilmBrain]

Apparently this film did very well internationally, which I think can be partly attributed by what was obviously local dubbing teams punching up the script.

[@artistwithouttalent]

3:43 WHAT?? A 15th century scientist accidentally perfects alchemy and proclaims it a disaster? I don't care what he was trying to do, everything else would be irrelevant. (This was my legit reaction, BTW. We haven't even finished the intro and I already want to shout at this film. It's going to be a long one...) 4:55 ...fuck. THEY set up the date, and got it 10 years off. I thought you were telling me it's a period piece. Nope, they're just that dim 6:00 And... racial stereotype jokes! Man, this POS is batting 1.000.

[@austinmorrison6953]

“Won’t be attending that hat convention in July!” I don’t know I think that’s not too bad as one liners go.

[@_PrimetimePranks]

RIP Danny Aiello

[@jamstonjulian6947]

How does Richard E. Grant end up in so many terrible movies?

[@markelijio6012]

Lots of them, that's how!

[@jamesatkinsonja]

Cash! He turns up in both Hitman's Bodyguard films for a combined total of 5 mins for that reason.

[@ebwarg]

Can’t remember if I noticed Mona’s eyebrows the only previous time I saw this film...

[@thelab8799]

@4:15 What do you mean? lol Its 500 years exactly.

[@FilmBrain]

No, 500 years exactly from 1481 would be 1981, but the film is actually set in 1991. This is what happens when you don't bother to update your script properly - or tell someone to not use the word "exactly".

[@scottylewis8124]

6:43 they look like they're going skydiving! 🤣🤣

[@judsongaiden9878]

To me, it felt like they might have drawn some inspirado from Crimewave (which isn't as terrible as Sam Raimi thinks it is and is actually fun to watch) which nails that "live-action cartoon" style of madcap manic absurdism more better. 5:16 That's actually pretty good. Goat cheese rules!

[@seanchukwuezi3079]

People should play the driking game when they watch this movie

[@LeeePowers]

Yo! This was my shit when it first dropped on Laser Disc!

[@03bgood]

This has to be set in 1989, that's when it probably was filmed despite being released in 1991. That's why the guy asks the other guy if he played Nintendo. If this was set in 1981, it would be "Atari", instead of "Nintendo". There was only two Nintendo games in 1981, Radar Scope and Donkey Kong. This looks like it takes place in 1989. I'm pretty sure the prelude takes place 508 years earlier. Saying "over 500 years later" would've made more sense or they really can't do math or got the exact year wrong, from the 15th century.

[@martinhowser4094]

“Go get a Adam’s apple of facial hair”.. well, he went bald, did that count?

[@KaoticReach1999]

“Shut up Spoony” Filmbrain saying it half a decade before anyone else xD

[@EasyEight3674]

Hudson Hawk was all I expected it to be -- a lightweight comedy action movie. And on that basis, it delivers, so I have always enjoyed it and never understood why people slam it. I mean, for cryin' out loud, in the movie Commando Arnold Schwarzenegger was throwing sawblades like frisbees and hand grenades magically kill only bad guys, not the good guy standing next to them, and people loved it. My point being this was the era of schlocky over the top cartoonish action movies.

[@jamesatkinsonja]

The difference is that Commando was mainly an action film which didn't take itself too seriously while this was a comedy which many didn't find funny and the acting way over the top [In his commentary with Oliver Harper, Film Brain said James Coburn works better than most in the film as he underplays it] as well as its troubled shoot being more interesting to many that the actual film. The trailers making it out to be 'Die Hard 2.5' when its nothing like that didn't help either.

[@ARCWuLF]

I profoundly hate this movie, but I've found out something interesting: If you watch any other movie and it seems awful, just watch Hudson Hawk afterward -- the other movie will seem so much better by comparison. Incidentally, there's a video somewhere of Bruce Willis and the producer talking about the movie while singing and playing the piano, respectively. It's interesting because they're both incredibly in denial of the films flaws, instead choosing to believe that it was "ahead of its time." If you ever want to go down the rabbit hole of Willis's ego, that's the video to watch.

[@BloodoperaBlackvomit]

I HATE THIS MOVIE... its one of the worst experiences i have watching a film.. i was screaming at the screen

[@eddiedingle767]

Sandra Bernhard isn’t a terrible actress, just watch King of Comedy, but holy fuckwaffle, her delivery at 15:02 is an Ambien OD table read

[@captcrais101]

I agree this is a bad movie but it is a guilty pleasure to like it. I found some of the comedy to be funny.

[@dreamlandnightmare]

It has some pretty funny and witty lines. I personally like the mix of graphic violence and comedy. (Quentin Tarantino does it all the time.)

[@johnsummers9660]

Never feel guilty about loving something amazing.

[@SM-nz9ff]

Oh man this movie is so bad that I couldn't even finish this review... I love your Bad Movie Beatdown series(it's one of the best movie type shows on YT) but this is the only one I couldn't finish....good god and I thought those other movies were bad....ffs im out.

[@pk1645]

5.16 Mr. Willis clearly thought “Reindeer goat cheese pizza” was funny. He repeated the same joke verbatim in his next film, The Last Boy Scout.

[@vr4787]

It’s like Die Hard on acid, can’t really hate it, you know what it is going in, just a fun wacky movie like Austin Powers!

[@bloodrunsclear]

Is this movie some kind of amazing anti-comedy work of art?

[@aliensoup2420]

I've never seen this movie, but it appears that the producers were trying to create their own Indiana Jones style franchise.

[@arielfangirlmendez]

12:35 that's reference

[@brianfuller7691]

I'd forgotten that you reviewed this turd. You were spot on that the actors( particularly Willis) are mugging through the unfunny movie, really trying to act funny. It doesn't work.

[@christinawilkephillips7684]

When the crindge is to strong....😵

[@RiverOfWetness468]

Actual review starts at 2:07

[@culwin]

What's the real reason this movie went so horribly wrong? You guessed it. 3:38 Frank Stallone

[@davidstrange6759]

ROFL I love that joke

[@Melvinshermen]

God i want a time machine now

[@WalkmanWillWalkAllOverYou]

Yay, another BMB Reupload!

[@cooldudeawesome9344]

How long does the intro have to be

[@scottylewis8124]

Should have had Paul Verhoven direct this

[@jamesatkinsonja]

He had the good sense to do 'Total Recall' instead.

[@scottylewis8124]

Richard E Grant, fire your agent!

[@LinkMarioSamus]

Plot seems similar to North by Northwest in some ways.

[@chrisdobbins4436]

i have to admit it because it is the truth i loved this movie when it came out i found out like just a few years ago it was considered bad i dont understand it to this day i thought it was funny as hell still do

[@livingitup247]

I actually really like this movie

[@seanchukwuezi3079]

Good acting from bruce Willis Danny ailoe and James Coburn

[@Dim4323]

And this film got razzies incuding Worst picture.

[@Nightband]

We need more BMB. We can do with a few less Projectors so we can get a review once in a while

[@user-dr2yz8um3d]

what a embarrassment of a film

[@devinharbert6071]

I immediately loose interest in the film at the beginning.

[@scottylewis8124]

I'd rather watch Nothing but trouble. At least Chevy Chase and Dan Akroyd try and be funny.

[@DarthVaderReturns1]

this is my older brothers favorite bruce willis movie he hates the die hard movies he thinks Hudson hawk should get 4 sequels

[@theitfactorjameswheezer2852]

TheReturnOfRobertELee your brother is a dumbass

[@ShawnRavenfire]

I like this movie. It's supposed to be stupid.

[@austinmorrison6953]

This movie is so stupid it circles back to being good.

[@Shiirow]

time for another bad movie beatoff.

[@devinharbert6071]

Review striking distance, whole 9 yards, lucky number slevin, and bonfire of the vanities.

[@HamsteR77777]

"How would you like it if I did all my reviews like this?" ... You pretty much do.

[@jakublulek3261]

Movie has a lot of Nintendo jokes? No wonder it is cult classic.... Also, that auction guy was in Professionals, screw Coronation Street. And man, James Coburn still could overshadow Bruce Willis easy. That is old-school Hollywood charisma right there.

[@theitfactorjameswheezer2852]

He was terrible in this movie

[@ishgabibble919]

One of the best movies ever made and ironically one of my favorite , Ive GOT tHe Power !!!

[@josephlawson9950]

I miss sponnyone

[@dpillifeant]

You're not correct. Thanks for your time. Your review is disappointing.

[@docrobotnik247]

Wow I'm watching this trash tonight 😭

[@Dim4323]

Assasins creed 2 has a better plot then this

[@iKadaj]

why does anybody care about gold? it's just jewelry and whatever. why isn't regular dollars and whatnot more valuable? gold is only "valuable" because you spend THOSE to BUY the gold. you can't go buy a car or a house or something with gold bars, you have to sell the gold to get the normal money before you're rich. and people only give you lots of regular money because we've all decided gold is special for some reason, even though it's virtually useless for absolutely anything except wedding rings.

[@thedeadpoolchannel1]

I like the movie

[@xuriostyle3543]

How old are you? I was 12 when this came out and this movie is hilarious. Danny Aiello has an excellent singing voice, did you notice. And, reindeer goat-cheese pizza is a national treasure, but you are a foreigner, so you just don't get it. That is all! xD

[@theitfactorjameswheezer2852]

Xurio Style reindeer goat cheese pizza is fucking dumb

[@floydlooney6837]

Does anyone else watch these videos and think it's like Arnold Rimmer from Red Dwarf doing reviews?

[@pagehill3440]

In not a fan of

[@Melvinshermen]

Spoony king of irony

[@polk-e-dot8177]

davinci was jesus! Leonardo DaVinci. LD rhymes with JC. #qed

[@jammiman420]

The movie was intentionally bad in a tongue in cheek way. This review however, was trying to be clever and failed. I submit the question, which was worse? At least the cast of Hudson Hawk got paid, right?

[@theitfactorjameswheezer2852]

Benjamin Drolet this review was clever. You’re just a fan of a pretentious egotistical shitty movie

[@IbadGrammarX]

spoony great but he ego ruin he career

[@cooldudeawesome9344]

Already 2 minutes in and already the channel seems like a joke

[@FilmBrain]

You are judging a video that is almost celebrating its 10th birthday.

[@norman981]

Film Brain, what ever your name is, don't know, don't care. What are you actually looking for in a fantasy based film, is it documentarial, historical, geographical or factual, because all of the afore mentioned can and will be included in a fantasy production. I have just viewed your review on "Hudson Hawk" for starters its a fantasy film and in my own opinion one of the most enjoyable films made, comical as well as intriguing, with a happy ending, a movie you could let the kids watch and enjoy. It seems to me you have a mindset unworthy of being a film critic. (no hard feelings)

[@jamstonjulian6947]

Lol

[@theitfactorjameswheezer2852]

norman981 your comment is fucking idiotic

[@MiXVoy]

RIP Danny Aiello