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(More customer reviews)I have a weakness for Rutger Hauer movies that needs to be satiated every few months if I am to function. I cannot specify one specific trait about this actor that I find so satisfying. Is it his acting skills, which are substantial even though he often appears in low budget junk? Or is it his presence, a physically imposing stature that makes him a natural to play cops or bad guys equally well? I guess both of these traits play a part. Hauer is a phenomenal entertainer, always turning in a great performance even if the movie is mediocre. Check out the scene in the made for cable television film "Fatherland" where Hauer tells his son a story about an old watchmaker. It's a mesmerizing piece of acting that is deeply moving. Most of this actor's films don't have as good a script as that movie does, but even still Hauer manages to stand head and shoulders above his co-stars. One of my latest fixes for this actor's work found me digging up a copy of "Split Second," an apocalyptic sort of tale from the early '90s that I have had a fondness for since I saw it ten years ago.
In the near future-London of 2008, to be exact-the world has undergone serious weather disturbances. Global warming melted a significant portion of the earth's icecaps, resulting in serious flooding in port cities around the world. London itself is often under several feet of water, requiring residents to wear waterproof clothing and footwear anytime they go outside. Hauer plays a cop named Harley Stone, a throwback to the old days of police work when a guy pounded a beat and employed tried and true techniques to solve crimes. Stone lives like a slob, constantly eating chocolate truffles, drinking, and generally taking poor care of himself. But he's a good cop, one of the best, and anytime a murder occurs he's not far from the scene. Stone's methods rile the rank and file, especially his boss Paulsen (Pete Postalthwaite). This cop continually hassles Stone about his rogue way of bringing in the bad guys, but can't bring himself to retire his star detective. And now he needs Harley Stone more than ever as a vicious murderer rampages across London. This criminal seems to worship the occult and mutilates the victims in the most heinous of ways.
In order to keep an eye on the department renegade, Paulsen assigns an egghead named Dick Durbin (Neil Duncan) to act as Stone's new partner. Durbin's one of these guys with way too much schooling; he's got a ton of degrees, including a doctorate from Oxford, and a tendency to harp on Harley about eating right and exercising. As the two detectives investigate the latest round of zodiac style killings, dropping wisecracks along the way, a former squeeze of Harley's named Michelle (Kim Cattrall) enters the picture. Meanwhile, the gruesome crimes continue, with the criminal specifically targeting Stone in order to mock his adversary. As if by magic, the killer manages to leave a grotesque surprise in a box at the cop shop, addressed to Harley Stone and wrapped with a lot of love. The cops know they have to do something soon before even more citizens fall victim to this nefarious evildoer. Moreover, alarming evidence increasingly points to supernatural origin for the killer. When Durbin and Stone finally confront this creature face to face, all of Durbin's educated veneer collapses like a wet bag. He goes along with Stone completely now, muttering the same line repeatedly until it turns into a mantra: "We need guns. Big guns." The inevitable showdown in the sewers of London is more fun than it should be from a movie of this caliber.
"Split Second" was a better film the first time than the second time around. The first viewing came at a time when I could care less about such fundamental cinematic concepts as structured plot, a good script, and believable characters. While the characters in this movie are largely believable and interesting, the script and the plot leave a lot to be desired. The dialogue is the same sort of stuff we hear in every action film made since the 1960s. Durbin and Stone are your typical old cop/young cop team, with all the attendant baggage that cliché implies. Stone at first despises his new protégé but soon learns to grudgingly admire the guy. Durbin initially scoffs at Harley's bad behavior and unorthodox police skills, but soon falls in line when he learns the older detective was right all along. Moreover, the plot is the typical B budget potboiler with more holes than a pound of Swiss cheese. How, for instance, did a demonic beast manage to leave a box in the middle of a heavily guarded police station without anyone seeing him? In broad daylight? C'mon! Suspension of disbelief is a prerequisite for watching these types of films, but "Split Second" pushes the envelope beyond the tearing point. Another point against the film is Kim Cattrall, who doesn't have much to do except act the part of the imperiled female. Too, her hair makes her look like Moe Howard on a bad day.
Yet, despite these immense and inestimable flaws, "Split Second" is highly entertaining. The idea has heart even if it rips off "Aliens" and every other scary sci-fi flick known to man. Durbin and Stone are fun to watch as they savagely riff off one another. It's too bad the DVD presents few extras and only a full screen picture transfer. Rutger Hauer fans will want to add this one to their collections soon, but unfortunately it looks like it is out of print. Try and find a copy somewhere, though, because it is ultimately an entertaining piece of fluff good for passing a few hours.
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