Enough gadgetry to fill a Bond film and enough bodies to fill the city morgue! Also, some wit. But sophisticated it ain't. Succeeds because of Brown's charm (that accent!) and Dennehy's performance.

Bryan Brown is a special effects expert hired by federal agents Cliff De Young and Mason Adams to arrange a phony execution for the state's valuable witness against the mob. When the fifteen million bucks that hangs in the balance is recovered, the cooperative witness, Jerry Orbach, will be spirited away and put in a witness relocation program.The problem is that it's a scam. De Young and Adams and Orbach are in cahoots. An innocent man is assassinated and Brown is framed for the job. Instead of being killed himself, by De Young, as planned, Brown makes his escape and hides in the apartment of his girl friend, Diane Venora. This is a fine place to hide, what with the gorgeous and sexy Venora slinking around in her slip. But the evildoers locate her place and she is killed accidentally. Bryan manages to off her murderer after a brutal fight in the apartment.The NYPD in the person of Brian Dennehy are called in on the homicide. Suspicion immediately falls on Brown, but Dennehy has grave doubts about his guilt and suspects the Feds are "bent." I think this is one of those movies in which the FBI are called by some other acronym -- the PDQ or the QED or the OMG or something.Dennehy is one of those aggressive cops with an abundance of self confidence and an abrasive attitude towards his superiors and he's forced, in a ritual scene, to hand over his gun and badge. Nevertheless, he continues his investigation, as suspended movie cops are wont to do. Bryan Brown is investigating from the other end.This, I believe, is one of those movies called "high concept." That is, the plot is built around a particular idea -- a location, a new machine ("Robocop"), or some other device. In this case, the gimmick is Brown's expertise with special effects. He uses squibs, prosthetics, blank cartridges, bottle rockets, smoke bombs, dummies, and other fakery to outwit his enemies. Sometimes the tactics are pretty low tech. He dumps some oil out of the back of his van during a pursuit and the cop cars skid into one another.Otherwise, it's a rather routine thriller with a couple of worthwhile high spots.Brown's visage seems more suited to light comedy than to drama. Dennehy is stolid and admirable in the firmness of his convictions. Venora is scrumptious. The pace is fast, the movie sufficiently involving, and afterward forgettable.

F/X is one of the few Movies from the 80's that I remember because of it's inventive premise.It Stars Aussie Actor Bryan Brown (An actor who never really made it to the big-time) who plays Special FX Expert Rollie Tyler who works on various Low Budget Slashers and becomes well known to the Department of Justice which hires him to perform a fake assassination of a Gangster on the Witness protection Program (Law & Order's late Jerry Orbach)...But things very quickly become complicated as Tyler finds he's being double crossed by the very people who hired him (Mason Adams & Cliff De Young)Co-Starring Brian Dennehy as the veteran cop Leo McCarthy who tries to find out who killed who and why.It was a minor hit on it's original release back in '86 and was followed by a Sequel in '91 and a TV series from '96-'98.***1/2 out of *****

Here is an eighties hit, of a great time. Man this 'story' has a lot! Two Brians, a Diane Venora, who is unconditionally into her roles, she really puts talent into her characters. Even when her 'Ellen', Rollie's friend was cut short. Rollie Tyler, is the man for special effects. He is smart and can set up the 'Set-up' with moderate to no trouble. Then comes the Wit-Sec Program people with a simple request. Put together a murder in a restaurant that would seem real. To get the Mob, off of this mobster in Wit-Sec's Back. Jerry Orbach, Nick DeFranco is the man who needs a 'Pardon' from his past. Rollie even after some thought thinks he can pull-it-off, so to speak. This is the beginning of Rollies troubles. I don't recall Orbach in a lot of tough or badguy roles, but I liked him as the wise-cracking 'wise guy'. Entering into the party mess, Leo (Dennehy) an aggressive New York cop, who doesn't like no for an answer and he doesn't like tricks. He is now on the case of the trick master. (Mason Adams) Col. Mason was quite an inter agency man. I had never seen Adams in a role like this and he creates more intrigue. His assistant and partner 'Lipton' (Cliff De Young) was a sort of trick inter agency man as well. Plays dumb really well, all the while watching everything and everyone, like a crocodile. The ending of this was a surprise as well for me and then as the closing scenes were being shown, they played the best song, I can't find it anywhere anymore. One of those superb 1980's films with a perfect wrap-up. Beautiful scenery and that 'tall' looking cinema scope effect at the movie's ending.I recommend to those who like action, mystery and the 80's too. This is a thrill of a great time for me. (****)