Black Dog (1998)

Director: Kevin Hooks

Writers: William Mickelberry, Dan Vining

Composer: George S. Clinton

Starring: Patrick Swayze, Meat Loaf, Randy Travis, Gabriel Casseus, Brian Kelly, graham Becket, Brenda Strong, Rusty De Wees, Cyril O'Reilly, Erin Broderick, Charles S. Dutton, Stephen Tobolowsky

More info: IMDb

Tagline: The rules of the road are simple. Don't turn back.

Plot: An ex-con takes a job driving a truck cross country. What he doesn't know is that the truck is filled with illegal weapons and now he must fight to survive and save his family.

My rating: 6/10

Will I watch it again? No.

You can look at this a couple ways.  On one hand it's a retarded, stupid action movie that's got some entertainment value or, on the other hand...hahaha.  Who are we kidding?  This is dumb fun but it's fun.  Anyone who mistakes this for a serious film that's got that social commentary angle that works so well at Sundance is either a bonehead or they've got their head far up their own ass. I knew going in that this was probably going to be ridiculously dumb but hopefully not without any entertainment value.  Fortunately Swayze took this role seriously.  That just adds to the fun.  Meat Loaf did not.  That takes away from it.  Randy Travis does a fine job for a guy I've only ever known as a musician.  Watching Dutton and Tobolowsky deliver their over the top lines with such ferocity cracked me up. I'd actually recommend watching this if you ever get the chance.  Knock back some liquor with your friends and kill an hour and a half with some dumb fun.  The Universal DVD has a good anamorphic widescreen print.  The extras are lame.  There's a 4 minute commercial highlighting the soundtrack for you to buy and then there's the theatrical trailer (non-anamorphic).