Verdict
Summary
What starts out as a pretty connect-the-dots crime / action film, The Big Sweat unfortunately relies way too heavily on splicing existing (and quite dated) car chase footage from the original Gone in 60 Seconds to pad out its runtime. If it weren’t for the endless stock footage and clunky new footage spliced into it, the movie wouldn’t be half bad.
Plot:
An ex-con is pursued by an FBI agent to turn state’s witness against a major crime lord.
Review:
Marco (one-time only actor Steven Molone) is released after an almost six-year stretch in the pen, and he hangs out with one of his old buddies, who almost immediately offers him a chance to make a ton of money in a big bank robbery. Marco is unsure of himself, but still a cocky SOB, and when his adopted mother tells him that his horoscope for the day says that he’s going to make a bunch of money and become rich, he makes his choice. But first, a strapping FBI agent with a massive cigar sticking out of his mouth named Troudou (Robert Z’Dar in his prime) spoils his homecoming by all but insisting he turn state’s witness against a notorious crime lord he used to work with. Marco refuses, but the grinning Troudou assures him that he’ll come around eventually. Marco proceeds with the robbery, and his buddy takes a female hostage with them (which becomes an annoying side thread in the film), and while making their getaway, they incur a massive amount of collateral damage in the chase. When eventually the chase dies down (after almost a full 40 minutes of screen time!), Troudou is waiting patiently for Marco to return … so that he can offer him a deal.
What starts out as a pretty connect-the-dots crime / action film, The Big Sweat unfortunately relies way too heavily on splicing existing (and quite dated) car chase footage from the original Gone in 60 Seconds to pad out its runtime. If it weren’t for the endless stock footage and clunky new footage spliced into it, the movie wouldn’t be half bad. I really enjoyed Z’Dar’s performance in the film; he very much had a commanding presence and an ease on screen that was underused in his career. Around this time in the early ’90s, Z’Dar began taking junk roles in trashy films that didn’t deserve him, and his career rapidly declined as a result. This was one of his last solid roles that featured him in incredible shape (his biceps were huge and his jawline hadn’t gotten out of control yet), and so the movie is worth watching just for him. He would’ve made an outstanding Frank Castle / Punisher in his prime. He literally looks like a comic book drawing come to life in this movie. The film itself suffers a great deal once the car chase kicks in and it loses focus and loses its plot thread at that point, which is a shame. From director Ulli Lommel.
Dark Force Entertainment has just released a Blu-ray edition of The Big Sweat, and it comes in a new 2K scan, which is likely the best this film has ever looked. It also has an interview with the production manager.
