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Sidney Poitier, Tom Berenger, Kirstie Alley, Clancy Brown, Richard Masur ... see more see more... , Andrew Robinson , Kevin Scannell , Frederick Coffin , Michael MacRae , Robert Lesser , Ken Camroux , Michelle Goodger , Fred Henderson , Gary Hetherington , Sam Hiona , Les Lannom , Gloria Lee , Allan Lysell , Blu Mankuma , Walter Marsh , Kevin McNulty , Andrew Rhodes , Janet Rotblatt , Milton Selzer , Howard Storey , William Taylor , Jerry Wasserman , Michael Chapman , Bill Croft , Frank C. Turner , Claire Brown , Darcelle Chan , Maryanna Danguy , Robyn Masumi Gildemeester , Freda Perry , Ric Reid , Craig Saunders , Beatrice Boepple

Sidney Poitier makes his long-overdue return to films in the 1988 thriller Shoot to Kill. Poitier plays an FBI agent, on the trail of an elusive killer. Reluctantly teamed with tracker Tom Berenger, t... read more read more...he citified Poitier braves the wilds of the Pacific Northwest in search of his quarry. For Berenger, the pursuit is personal; the killer, whose identity is not immediately revealed, has joined a hunting party being guided through the country by the tracker's girlfriend Kirstie Alley. Though only bearing the slightest resemblance to Real Life (you'll love the scene between lifelong city-dweller Poitier and a huge grizzly bear), Shoot to Kill delivers the goods in the suspense department. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Flixster Users

57% liked it

5,787 ratings

Critics

100% liked it

11 critics

R, 1 hr. 55 min.

Directed by: Roger Spottiswoode

Release Date: February 12, 1988

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DVD Release Date: April 6, 2004

Stats: 193 reviews

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Flixster Reviews (193)

  • ironclad1609
    January 11, 2008
    ironclad1609
    A truly unique 80s action thriller: in order to chase a killer and diamond thief, an FBI agent (Poitier) has to team up with an expert hiker (Berenger) whose girlfriend (Alley) leads a group of men through the mountains to the Canadian border, among them: the killer. The movie t... read moreakes this idea and creates a breathless trip through beautiful scenery, adding lots of action, suspense and guessing which one of the hikers the killer actually is. Additionally, Poitier's performance adds so much humor to the excitement that you won't look at your watch once during the movie. Some minor plot holes at the connection points to the showdown back in civilization don't really ruin the overall perfect impression this movie leaves, especially the first time you see it.
    A little known gem of the genre. Not only for fans. They just don't make such action thrillers anymore!
  • deano
    December 14, 2006
    deano
    Good thriller with Sidney Poitier at 63 when the film was shot, looks little more than 40.
  • Fascade518
    February 6, 2007
    Fascade518
    A genuine whodunnit classic...one of Sidney Poitier's and Tom Berringer's best team-up to date. A must see.
  • DrLappos
    March 26, 2008
    DrLappos
    Brilliant movie showing Poitier hadnt lost it.
  • fb100002946249850
    November 18, 2011
    fb100002946249850
    One of those old buddy movies that you can relax to on a weekend. Sidney Poitier is such a fine actor. Let me pluck out all his films and try them one by one. This is not top notch. Its more of been there seen that. Yet worth a revisit.
  • jacobspaulsen
    September 29, 2008
    jacobspaulsen
    I was a little dissapointed. The story line was really weak and even the acting was a less than great.
  • bobba66
    November 2, 2007
    bobba66
    Great action/thriller of the 80's...Super story..great film locales..action is spot on... Berenger was great as the tracker...Poitier was brilliant as the out of his element FBI agent...A staple in the popcorn and VHs days of the late 80's...
  • nzcru
    March 24, 2007
    nzcru
    Very cool flick...keeps you glued to your seat and guessing. A young Tom Berenger w/ Sidney Poitier hunt for a diamond stealing murderer in the Canadian Rockies who has kidnapped Kirstie Alley a survial guide (Berenger's girlfriend)
  • mrmcclane
    September 14, 2006
    mrmcclane
    Started out well, but it got worse from there. Tom Berenger's acting was ok most of the time, but sometimes it was just horrible. Poitier on the other hand did as well as possible with the writing, and had some genuinely funny moments, like the part where he scares off the bear. ... read more

    The music was crap. The movie would've been better with no music at all even.

    It's clear that this movie was a big influence for The Hunted, which I liked a whole lot. So I thought I'd like this too, but The Hunted was actually much much better. It was much deeper, more serious and philosophical. This movie took an average cop movie and just put it in the woods for part of the movie. I've seen better from Berenger and Poitier and better from both the cop movie genre and the outdoor survival genre.

    The villain was genuinely evil and freakishly intelligent in the beginning, but he was boring as hell by the end. The whole movie was actually. I found myself fast forwarding near the end just to get the end already. Nothing really un-formulaic here except for some of the stuff that happens in the woods.

    Usually the original's are better, but The Hunted is a masterpiece compared to this, and in it's own right in my opinion.

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Critic Reviews

Chuck O'Leary
March 4, 2006
Chuck O'Leary, FulvueDrive-in.com

A gripping manhunt thriller that's also part buddy movie and part outdoor, man-against-the-elements adventure. Might have been taken for granted in 1988, but Shoot to Kill is a corker by today's stand...

Kevin Carr
August 12, 2005
Kevin Carr, 7M Pictures

Awesome thriller!

Bill Clark
June 17, 2005
Bill Clark, FromTheBalcony

An underrated, well-directed action flick with a superb performance by Sidney Poitier.

Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat
August 28, 2004
Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat, Spirituality and Practice

Shoot to Kill is a rip-roaring movie from start to finish. Full Review

Clint Morris
April 27, 2003
Clint Morris, Moviehole

You'll feel the sweat dripping off your back. Thrilling beyond belief.

March 26, 2009
Variety

Click to read the article Full Review

Janet Maslin
May 20, 2003
Janet Maslin, New York Times

Click to read the article Full Review

Roger Ebert
January 1, 2000
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times

Click to read the article Full Review

Desson Thomson
January 1, 2000
Desson Thomson, Washington Post

Click to read the article Full Review

Emanuel Levy
June 29, 2005
Emanuel Levy, EmanuelLevy.Com

No review available.

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

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