Raw Justice

What is really is about is something like this:

The police arrest Robert Hays for the brutal cold-blooded murder of the daughter of the mayor of New Orleans. They had a date that night, he took her to miniature golf, and she was not amused. I can see why the police suspected him. Many a man in Louisiana has slaughtered a woman over miniature golf. I guess the thing that confused me was that I thought it was legal there. Well, I guess I'm in trouble now for that little filly that I killed and stuffed in the little windmill on that one hole in Baton Rouge back in the 80's. I guess I better just admit it and pay my $50 fine.

NUDITY REPORT

Pamela Anderson is topless in two sex scenes, one with each co-star. In a hot scene with David Keith, she is also seen nude from the side, but there are no clear looks at her from the front or rear.

April Bogenschutz is killed in a shower scene in the film's opening section. There is brief frontal exposure, as well as clear buns and breasts.

Anyway, the next morning after slaughtering the mayor's daughter in the shower, Hayes is back out on the streets, because someone posted his bail anonymously. It's good to know that a guy arraigned on a truly brutal first degree murder of a well-known public figure can wander around the streets in Louisiana. It makes Mardi Gras seem that much more invigorating. As you probably know, Louisiana is the only state where the currently applicable laws are written on a chalkboard, kind of like the daily specials at a seafood restaurant. Apparently Murder One wasn't the Crime du Jour that day.

The mayor, father of the murdered girl, hires a bounty hunter (David Keith) to keep an eye on Hays and make sure that he doesn't attempt flight. Keith ends up getting framed for another crime, so he and Hays end up having to team up to fight crooked cops, a sleazy deputy mayor, and various criminals, all in the process of clearing their names.

Along the way, they end up bringing a hooker (Pamela Anderson) onto their team, and they both have sex with her before the movie is over.

DVD info from Amazon.

no widescreen

no features

In the course of the movie, Keith and his team have to shoot about 50 guys, including Western-style gunfights in the New Orleans streets, where both good guys and bad blast away, oblivious to bystanders. There are also gunfights in speeding cars, speeding airboats, crowded strip joints, and I don't know what else. There's even a bad guy devoured by an alligator.

I think you can determine from the description that it is a grade-b action film. Judging from the 4:3 aspect ratio, I'd guess it went straight to video. It isn't a good movie, of course, but it's better than it sounds, and a lot more fun than implied by that awful rating at IMDb. Although the IMDb score is not unfair, because the plot and action scenes are absolutely implausible in about every imaginable way, the film doesn't take itself seriously, so the silly plot doesn't seem all that important. It is a bad movie which knows it is bad, and tries to provide a few laughs and cheap thrills and sexual titillation along the way.

The Critics Vote

no reviews online

The People Vote ...

With their votes ... IMDB summary: IMDb voters score it 3.3/10.

IMDb guideline: 7.5 usually indicates a level of excellence, about like three and a half stars from the critics. 6.0 usually indicates lukewarm watchability, about like two and a half stars from the critics. The fives are generally not worthwhile unless they are really your kind of material, about like two stars from the critics. Films under five are generally awful even if you like that kind of film, equivalent to about one and a half stars from the critics or less, depending on just how far below five the rating is.

My own guideline: A means the movie is so good it will appeal to you even if you hate the genre. B means the movie is not good enough to win you over if you hate the genre, but is good enough to do so if you have an open mind about this type of film. C means it will only appeal to genre addicts, and has no crossover appeal. D means you'll hate it even if you like the genre. E means that you'll hate it even if you love the genre. F means that the film is not only unappealing across-the-board, but technically inept as well.

Based on this description, this film is a D. Although not brilliant, it's better that you'd expect. Not a brainy thriller, and not always slick and professional, but somewhat redeemed by sexy scenes and a goofy sense of humor.