This average thriller stars Bruce Willis as a former cop turned drunk (pretty much the role he always played in these early '90s films) who is on the track of a serial killer. Of course, we've been here before a million times, but things are kept moving along swiftly along by some well-paced action sequences, as well as an intriguing plot involving a conspiracy within the police force (standard fare for '90s crime thrillers). Bruce Willis plays his typical, hard bitten yet endearing cop, who this time around gets framed for a series of brutal murders. He is given able support by Sarah Jessica Parker and a solid cast of movie veterans, including Dennis Farina as his strict uncle, Tom Sizemore as a spaced out nutter, and Brion James in a typically villainous role.The action scenes may not be the most original of all time, but most of them are pretty good, one standout involving a flare gun being fired at a speeding car. There are also the requisite speedboat chases, although none of them reach the frenzy of FACE/OFF's exciting climax. However the best scenes involve Willis as he steady uncovers the crimes surrounding him, and gets framed bit by bit. Therefore the film really hinges on Willis' central performance, and as I'm a big fan of Willis, I liked this film more than I would have done without him. Not the most startling, original film in the world, but an okay brainless actioner nonetheless.

"Striking Distance" is an action-thriller with little action and no thrills. It's another movie where reportedly Willis took over production, and apparently, not for the better.It's also another movie where he plays a cop with a tragic past; the typical lone wolf outcast who ends up redeeming himself and saving the day. Of course, he's paired with a sexy young chick he doesn't get along with at first, but ends up bedding.As a big budget action flick, of course it has dependable character actors, such as Tom Sizemore, Dennis Farina and Brion James.It also has a bunch of dependable clichés, such as Willis's cop being demoted after failing to solve a murder case he is obsessed with, and then finding that the murders seem to follow him to his new station.The problem with all this is that it is so badly done it fails to generate any tension, thrills, or interest from the viewer. Willis reportedly also took over the filming of "The Last Boy Scout", and I'm not saying that was a great movie, but it was much more entertaining than this.

"Striking Distance" held some promise in the opening police chase; illogical by car chase standards, but certainly not sleepy. But I've gotta admit, with Rowdy Herrington's name attached, I was expecting (hoping for) entertainment value comparable to "Road House" . . . not the morose Bruce Willis dramatic actioner filled with reheated potboiler clichés. You can see these beats coming before they happen. The movie's also full of notable character actors, but they don't look all that enthused to be there.The movie's nothing special, but also nothing to get upset about. Somehow, the knowledge that this was made during the Peters-Guber reign at Columbia clarifies a lot. This feels like a troubled production.5/10

We could literally call this excellent thriller ALL IN THE FAMILY as it deals with a family of police caught up in a series of serial killings that eventually takes the life of the father of Bruce Willis. Scorned by police when he turns his own cousin in on an unrelated police matter, and his persistence that the man found guilty of the crime is innocent and that the real killer is none other than a police officer.The plot twists are great and there is plenty of action. Bruce Willis has the perfect part for himself and he is aided by Sarah Jessica Palmer, who has another assigned agenda on her part.