Tango & Cash (1989) Review:

Kurt Russell is known for making a lot of cult movies. Sylvester Stallone is known for making big macho muscle films. So when you hear the name Tango & Cash (1989), one should always think of it as a macho cult classic. And it is just that. I once read in a blurb about this movie from another critic,  "I'd pay cash to see this tango", and I feel that it summed this movie up very nicely (even if it was a cheap pun). Both Russell and Stallone are credited for their own special movies, but has anyone ever seen them on the same screen together besides this one? No. So take it for what it's worth.

The one and only film starring Kurt Russell
& Sylvester Stallone sharing
the same screen

Ray Tango (Stallone) and Gabe Cash (Russell) play as two of L.A.'s best cops who patrol both the east and west sides of the city. It's when they receive a lead to the same place (which is actually a set-up) that they confront themselves and are forced to work together. This pairing is a more pumped up version of the odd couple. Tango likes to do things simple and dresses up like he's a bank manager. Cash does whatever he can to get a job done and he really doesn't care what he wears. But either way, both cops are the best of their department.

Along with these two actors is Teri Hatcher who plays Katherine or Kiki Tango, Ray's sister. Kiki Tango is a dancer and plays a love interest for Cash, which ends up making some great scenes between him and Ray Tango later (when he finds out). Playing the main villain is Jack Palance as Yves Perret. Even Palance has a few comical scenes that make this film a joy ride. Perret's right hand man is Requin (Brion James). James stands out from the rest because of his well-performed accent that he gave his character. He's still vicious though and that's good.

A very young Teri Hatcher as an exotic dancer

The action in here is expected to be loud and over the top for a couple reasons. The first would be that it was made in the 80s. That's a given but it's still fun to watch. The second is that this movie doesn't take itself seriously which is also a good thing. The comedy is also well acted too. Never have I ever seen such good, quick, banter between two different actors before. Stallone and Russell share a lot of great lines together. And even when they're alone, the energy is never dropped and I liked that a lot.

And finally the music behind all this was constructed by composer Harold Faltermeyer. Faltermeyer is a good key player too because his soundtrack does create suspense, meshes in with the action sequences nicely and sounds rather goofy too when it needs to be. I don't really understand how a Stallone or Russell fan couldn't like this movie. As buddy cop films go, this is a rare gem in the whole bundle. And guess what? Thanks to Stallone and Russell, this movie has become a "macho cult classic"!

To think that Sylvester Stallone and Kurt Russell wouldn't make an excellent tag team is a gigantic understatement. The dialog is crazy and the action is big dumb entertaining fun.

Points Earned --> 10:10