The Presidio
Reviews
CinemaSerf
Mark Harmon is "Jay", a former military policeman turned cop who is called upon to investigate a series of murders that reintroduce him to his former CO "Col. Caldwell" (Sean Connery) with whom he doesn't especially get along. It doesn't help when he starts to date the colonel's independently minded daughter "Donna" (Meg Ryan) but can they put their differences aside long enough to find out what's going on and stop any more killings? Well, of course they can - this film has precisely no jeopardy at all. Though the motive for the crimes remains a mystery for a while, the rest of this follows a well travelled line that is disappointingly predictable. Harmon is never a particularly strong or convincing actor, Connery - and his traditional, wry, smile - clearly just wanted his fee and not for the first time Meg Ryan adds very little as this plods along. It's watchable on the television over a glass or two, but it's all very unremarkable.
GenerationofSwine
Occasionally my mother would really get into a movie, choose a quote as a favorite, and then repeat it constantly in a cartoonish exaggeration of whoever said it in the film. The Persidio is one of those films she latched onto, and for years after we were subjected to her Sean Connery impression as she threatened to beat us up using only her thumb. So now every time I see it, heck, every time I'm in Frisco, that is the quote that gets stuck in my head for days after. But, in her defense, it was a very good scene and actually does deserve to be remembered and quoted more. It's my go to Sean Connery impression... when I'm not impersonating Johnny Lee Miller impersonating Sean Connery. Or the Untouchables, but I kind of feel that one is over used. Everyone goes there when they do Connery. Or, you know, I could just live in Chicago. Maybe the rest of the country and the world just does James Bond. The point is, you have a quotable Sean Connery scene. And that alone is worth it. And you have the San Francisco chase scene, and I really hate Frisco, but I do really love movies that are set there and any chase through San Francisco streets is fun if for no other reason than it makes you instantly think of Bullet. The multi-jurisdictional cliche thing is here, and tragically underused in a lot of movies. But you get a good dynamic of military and civilian cop bumping heads with one another. It's a situation that is made worse by bad blood and a bit of history, and then made even worse by a blooming romantic interest. And it's the 80s, so you know that the romantic interest is going to be Meg Ryan, no spoiler there. And all of that with an actual compelling case that the two cops have to solve. It's kind of all over the place, but in the best possible 80s cliche kind of way.
kevin2019
"The Presidio" is an interesting diversion that has an immediately intriguing and literally explosive opening gambit which is eye catching and it easily grabs your full attention, but then the pace quickly eases up out of pure necessity and the murder of Patti Jean Lynch loses all sense of urgency and it is eventually relegated to becoming a secondary consideration as the main focus of the film now concentrates upon the complex and argumentative character dynamics of Lieutenant Colonel Caldwell, his daughter Donna, and Inspector Jay Austin although all of this is nicely juxtaposed with the ongoing murder investigation. However, this film is much too pedestrian for the talented cast involved, but at least the action sequences are superb and the pace is extremely well maintained throughout.
Movie Recommendation
Five Minutes of Heaven2009-01-19The story of former Ulster Volunteer Force member Alistair Little. Twenty-five years after Little killed Joe Griffin's brother, the media arrange an auspicious meeting between the two.More...
Family Business1989-12-06Jessie is an aging career criminal who has been in more jails, fights, schemes, and lineups than just about anyone else. His son Vito, while currently on the straight and narrow, has had a fairly shady past and is indeed no stranger to illegal activity. They both have great hope for Adam, Vito's son and Jessie's grandson, who is bright, good-looking, and without a criminal past.More...
Alien Raiders2008-09-21It's the end of yet another night at Hastings Supermarket, a grocery store in Buck Lake, Arizona. But just before closing, a group of masked and armed to the teeth militants invades the store and take everyone hostageMore...
Beyond the Poseidon Adventure1979-05-18After "The Poseidon Adventure", in which the ship got flipped over by a tidal wave, the ship drifts bottom-up in the sea. While the passengers are still on board waiting to be rescued, two rivaling salvage parties enter the ship on search for money, gold and a small amount of plutonium.More...
Hurlyburly1998-12-25A group of actors and their casting agents try to find a direction in their lives whilst coming to terms with their personal problems and relationship conflicts.More...
Dumb: The Story of Big Brother Magazine2017-06-03A look at the rise and fall of the subversive skateboarding magazine Big Brother, which rose to prominence in the mid-1990s and had a profound effect on the skating subculture with its unfiltered approach.More...
Arrowhead1953-08-03Director Charles Marquis Warren's 1953 western stars Charlton Heston and Jack Palance. Chief of Scouts Ed Bannon works for the US Army at Fort Clark, Texas and he dreams of aiding in bringing peace to the region, despite opposition from both the Army and the Apaches.More...
Hexed1993-01-22Lowly hotel clerk Matthew Welch stumbles unto a chance to go on a date with supermodel Hexina by pretending he is someone else. But something goes wrong on the date, she tries to kill him! Soon she kills a couple more people, and unfortunately all the evidence points to Matthew. Gloria, who has been wishing Matthew would ask her on a date, thinks he is innocent and is willing to help, but hardnosed Detective Ferguson is hot on the clues, and closing in on Matthew.More...
The Falcon and the Co-Eds1943-11-10The Falcon is called to a young woman's school to investigate a murder. When he arrives, another victim is discovered.More...
Hanging Up2000-02-16Three sisters - Georgia, Eve, and Maddy - do what they do best with life, love, and lunacy on the telephone lines that bind - when their curmudgeonly father, Lou, is admitted to a Los Angeles Hospital. After years of wild living, intermittent affection, and constant phoning, he is finally threatening to die.More...
Blind Fury1989-08-17A blind Vietnam vet, trained as a swordfighter, comes to America and helps to rescue the son of a fellow soldier.More...
Angelique2013-12-18The incredible destiny of Angélique: a beautiful girl who found in her love for Joffrey Peyrac the strength to fight injustice and submission in a century plagued by power struggles, inequality and the oppression.More...
Powaqqatsi1988-04-29An exploration of technologically developing nations and the effect the transition to Western-style modernization has had on them.More...
Medicine Man1992-02-07An eccentric scientist in the Amazon jungle rejects his research assistant for being a woman, but as bulldozers threaten their work on a potential cancer cure, they learn to collaborate and begin to fall in love.More...
My All American2015-11-13Freddie Steinmark, an underdog on the gridiron, faces the toughest challenge of his life after leading his team to a championship season.More...
Lo and Behold: Reveries of the Connected World2016-03-04Werner Herzog's exploration of the Internet and the connected world.More...
Broadcast News1987-12-16Basket-case network news producer Jane Craig falls for new reporter Tom Grunnick, a pretty boy who represents the trend towards entertainment news she despises. Aaron Altman, a talented but plain correspondent, carries an unrequited torch for Jane. Sparks fly between the three as the network prepares for big changes, and both the news and Jane must decide between style and substance.More...
The Shadow1994-07-01Based on the 1930s comic strip, The Shadow is put up against his archenemy Shiwan Khan, who plans to take over the world by holding a city to ransom using an atom bomb. Using his powers of invisibility and "the power to cloud men's minds", The Shadow comes blazing to the rescue with explosive results.More...
Knick Knack1989-11-23Life on a shelf as a snowman trapped in a snow-globe blizzard can become wearing, especially when you're surrounded by knickknacks from sunnier locales. When the jaded snowman finally breaks free of his glass house, his vacation plans are cut short.More...
Proof of Life2000-12-08Alice hires a professional negotiator to obtain the release of her engineer husband, who has been kidnapped by anti-government guerrillas in South America.More...
Similar Movies
Enough
2002-05-21Working-class waitress Slim thought she was entering a life of domestic bliss when she married Mitch, the man of her dreams. After the arrival of their first child, her picture perfect life is shattered when she discovers Mitch's hidden possessive dark side, a controlling and abusive alter ego that can turn trust, love and tranquility into terror. Terrified for her child's safety, Slim flees with her daughter. Relentless in his pursuit and enlisting the aid of lethal henchmen, Mitch continually stalks the prey that was once his family.A Perfect Murder
1998-06-05Millionaire industrialist Steven Taylor is a man who has everything but what he craves most: the love and fidelity of his wife. A hugely successful player in the New York financial world, he considers her to be his most treasured acquisition. But she needs more than simply the role of dazzling accessory.Bandidas
2006-01-18When a ruthless robber baron takes away everything they cherish, a rough-and-tumble, idealistic peasant and a sophisticated heiress embark on a quest for justice, vengeance…and a few good heists.A Mighty Heart
2007-06-22Based on Mariane Pearl's account of the terrifying and unforgettable story of her husband, Wall Street Journal reporter Danny Pearl's life and death.We Own the Night
2007-10-12A New York nightclub manager tries to save his brother and father from Russian mafia hitmen.Unforgettable
1996-02-23Seattle medical examiner David Krane is obsessed with solving his wife's murder. A possible solution presents itself in an experimental "memory" serum designed by a neurobiology professor, which has the ability to transfer memories from one person to another, but with potentially fatal consequences.Star Wars: Episode II...
2002-05-15Following an assassination attempt on Senator Padmé Amidala, Jedi Knights Anakin Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi investigate a mysterious plot that could change the galaxy forever.Twin Peaks: Fire Walk...
1992-06-03In the questionable town of Deer Meadow, Washington, FBI Agent Desmond inexplicably disappears while hunting for the man who murdered a teen girl. The killer is never apprehended, and, after experiencing dark visions and supernatural encounters, Agent Dale Cooper chillingly predicts that the culprit will claim another life. Meanwhile, in the more cozy town of Twin Peaks, hedonistic beauty Laura Palmer hangs with lowlifes and seems destined for a grisly fate.Hulk
2003-06-19Bruce Banner, a genetics researcher with a tragic past, suffers massive radiation exposure in his laboratory that causes him to transform into a raging green monster when he gets angry.Angel Face
1953-01-02Ambulance driver Frank Jessup is ensnared in the schemes of the sensuous but dangerous Diane Tremayne.Laura
1944-10-11A police detective falls in love with the woman whose murder he's investigating.Zodiac
2007-03-02The Zodiac murders cause the lives of Paul Avery, David Toschi and Robert Graysmith to intersect.American Expose: Who ...
1988-11-02Investigative reporter Jack Anderson hosts a two-hour investigation of the Kennedy Assassination featuring interviews with experts, eyewitnesses, government officials and authors. Includes dramatic recreations of key events.Shattered
1991-10-11Dan Merrick comes out from a shattering car accident with amnesia. He finds that he is married to Judith who is trying to help him start his life again. He keeps getting flashbacks about events and places that he can't remember. He meets pet shop owner and part time private detective Gus Klein who has supposedly done some work for him prior to the accident. Klein helps Merrick to find out more...Romeo Is Bleeding
1993-09-13A corrupt cop gets in over his head when he tries to assassinate a beautiful Russian hit-woman.Desert Saints
2002-03-10Banks is a hit man, the best, usually working for Latin American drug cartels. He picks up solitary women, uses them briefly for a job, then kills them. He's in the Southwest, headed toward Mexico, when he picks up Bennie, a woman leaving an abusive marriage, going to Paradise, Arizona. The film follows three tracks: Banks's slow recruitment of Bennie, the set-up for the hit at a swank resort in Mexico, and the FBI's close pursuit of Banks, whom they want alive in hopes he'll rat out his bosses. Bennie may not be who she seems, and there may be a chink in Banks's tough-guy armor. Guns, money, and a chance at Paradise.The Last Castle
2001-10-19A court-martialed general rallies together 1200 inmates to rise against the system that put him away.Breakdown
1997-05-02On their cross-country drive, a married couple, Jeff and Amy Taylor, experience car trouble after their SUV breaks down. Stranded in the New Mexico desert, the two catch a break when a passing truck driver offers Amy a ride to a nearby café to call for help. Meanwhile, Jeff is able to fix the car and make his way to the café, but Amy isn't there. He tracks down the trucker -- who tells the police he's never seen Jeff or his wife before. Jeff then begins a desperate, frenzied search for Amy.Liberty Stands Still
2002-01-18As the heir and current marketing director for one of the nation's biggest gun manufacturers, Liberty Wallace is indifferent to the atrocities made possible through her business and her CEO husband, Victor. On her way to see her actor lover, Liberty ends up chained to a food cart full of explosives -- all at the insistence of "Joe", a sniper whose young daughter was a victim of gun violence, and who now has Liberty in his sights.Jana Gana Mana
2022-04-28Ramanagara wakes up to a series of events that shocks the entire Nation. In this crisis, two individuals with two different perspectives on law and justice intervene to define the truth.