Where to watch Renegades
2 Stars
Buster McHenry works as an undercover agent for the local police. Currently he investigates on police corruption and is in big trouble. His task makes him break the law, he participates in a robbery. Things really screw up as not only two men are shot, but also an ancient indian spear is stolen and Buster is wounded. Hank Storm, a young indian, is now after the spear and Buster is after his criminal ‘comrades’. Both of them are outsiders in their way, but now they have the same target.
I would bet that more police thrillers were produced during the 1980s than Westerns in the 1970s. By 1989, the genre had reached its peak with the spectacular and humorous “Lethal Weapon 2,” alongside solid entries like “Tango & Cash” and “Dead Bang,” as well as the disappointing “Renegades.” This film feels tired and uninspired, offering nothing new while managing to make its two charismatic stars, Sutherland and Phillips—famous from “Young Guns”—appear listless and lacking charm.
Jack Sholder, known for the cult favorite “The Hidden” and the unfairly dismissed “Nightmare on Elm Street 2,” was a capable filmmaker primarily working in the horror genre up to that point. It’s unclear how he ended up directing “Renegades,” but it feels like he was a hired gun. Universal Pictures often employed this approach, with projects like “Child’s Play 2,” “Pure Luck,” and “Cool as Ice,” all directed by little-known filmmakers who were easily controlled by overbearing producers or studio executives. One would think that with his established reputation, Sholder would be able to assert his vision on screen. Given the result, it’s hard to believe that anyone else could have created a more monotonous film.
Directed by: Jack Sholder
Written by: David Rich
Starring: Kiefer Sutherland, Lou Diamond Phillips, Jami Gertz