Thoughts on The Fugitive (1993) · 7:20pm Dec 19th, 2023
(First watched September 16th, 2023.)
Watched this with my dad as well. Very good movie. I've never seen the original TV show "The Fugitive" but I know the basic elements - doctor on the run for a crime he didn't commit, trying to find the one-armed man, and being hunted by a determined officer of the law.
The movie updates the series' basic formula very, very smartly in a lot of ways. It keeps the action largely to the area around Chicago, and also changes Gerard (Tommy Lee Jones) from a typical policeman to a US Marshal; which makes far more sense than a small-town cop going to such lengths to catch one escaped prisoner. (I also appreciated the way that the movie reimagined the reason the one-armed man killed Dr. Kimble's wife. It's a lot more interesting - and relevant - than just a home robbery gone wrong.)
Harrison Ford is great for sure as the vulnerable, but determined, Richard Kimble, but watching this I really did enjoy and appreciate Tommy Lee Jones as Sam Gerard. The leader of the group of Marshals is a fantastic character: hard-driving, cunning, absolutely determined to get his man, but not a fanatic. He gets some great quips throughout (the "search every warehouse, farmhouse, doghouse" is iconic for a reason) but his performance never goes too far. You really enjoy the game of cat and mouse between Gerard and Kimble... and then the way that Gerard eventually helps Kimble in the end.
The Fugitive is a movie that also has some great set pieces. The train crash early on is a standout, but the confrontation at the dam is probably my personal favorite. Honestly, a lot of the confrontations and escapes between Kimble and the law are great, but the one at the dam tops the list for me. 
All in all, a fine movie, and very glad to have seen it. Was very nice to get to see Harrison Ford in a role that wasn't Han Solo or Indiana Jones. 
I DIDN'T KILL MY WIFE!
I DON'T CARE!
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Great exchange for sure. XD
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Right?!
I liked the adaption. I'd seen the original in reruns and it really was inspiring and nice to see how they did a movie with all the episodes story arc.