GUNMEN is another of those buddy-buddy movies that were all the rage in the early '90s after the success of the LETHAL WEAPON films. This is probably one of the most undistinguished and easiest forgotten films of that sub-genre, but what the heck, I liked it anyway. The whole reason this movie is entertaining is solely down to the casting of Christopher Lambert and Mario Van Peebles, who have one of the best double acts I've seen in a movie. The script, by MUMMY director Stephen Sommers, wisely focuses on the natural humour between the pair and because they're having a ball, the viewer does too.The story is nothing new: the hunt for an elusive boat, which becomes ultimately pointless by the climax anyway. It's just an excuse to have Peebles and Lambert being hunted through various types of terrain and gunning down villains at every opportunity. The action isn't even particularly inspired, following the '90s template of 'blow everything up', and there's little attempt at style here.But I digress. Lambert is hilarious, the funniest I've seen him, playing a slightly unhinged criminal type whose laugh is completely infectious. He's a winner on good will alone, but Peebles rises to the challenge and equals him as the sterner one of the pair. There's a fine supporting cast, too, with most performances geared towards the comedic: Denis Leary, as an icy head honcho bad guy; Patrick Stewart, as a crippled crime boss; Kadeem Hardison as the comedy relief pilot; B-movie regular Brenda Bakke as a femme fatale. Still, in the end this film belongs to Lambert and Peebles. They have tons of good routines together, with the highlight being the 'first aid kit' trade-off towards the end. Still makes me chuckle just thinking about it.

Had the makers of this movie developed something from the scene where the protagonist drops the little girl from his motorcycle to the nuns, they might have made a memorable film. Of course, the film ends on a note about the little girl and the nuns but that is not the movie one gets.Roger Ebert recounts the secession of stolen elements from actual motion pictures and defines part of the problem with this mess. The film simply replicates quotes from other works.Sometimes, the film has a certain visual beauty but nothing ever comes from that beauty. The narrative is incoherent. Threads form and disappear. Nothing happens in all the rush of action. Humour almost works but again never forms patterns or stories.I do not know what the makers of this film intended. I doubt that they knew. Several films might have happened; not one did.

i am a Christopher Lambert fan. so when i saw this little gem at a car boot i just bought it strait away without looking at the back for the plot description.i'm glad i bought because gunmen is one of his best. it has great action funny dialogue and an all star cast including Mr Lambert, Mario van Peebles, Patrick Stewart and even Denis Leary. the plot is simple Christopher plays Dani Servigo a small time criminal who is busted out of prison by Cole parker played by Mario van Peebles and together they reluctantly team up to find a hidden loot but are pursued by Armor o Malley played by Denis Leary and Loomis played by Patrick Stewart. the plot may be simple but that is good since it doesn't drag on with developing the story and goes right to the action.Christopher's character Dani is quite funny whilst Mario's character Cole is a hard ass macho kinda guy. gunmen is certainly entertaining and never lets up i give it 8 out of 10

I happened to see the beginning of this picture because TIVO switched it on while I was otherwise occupied. The movie begins with a graphic and utterly repulsive scene of a woman being buried alive. The camera shows the hysterical victim being shoved into a coffin, the lid nailed down, and the coffin interred, while various bad guys look on. Her screams resound and then fade as the dirt covers the coffin. This absolutely nauseating scene is included for no other purpose than to provide a little thrill to voyeuristic sadists. It is inexcusable that an actor of Patrick Stewart's stature lent his name to a movie of this pandering quality. I have actually written to his agent about it.