Point Blank (1967)

Directed by John Boorman. Starring Lee Marvin, Angie Dickinson, John Vernon, Lloyd Bochner, Carroll O’Connor, Keenan Wynn, Sharon Acker, Michael Strong, James B. Sikking.

Following a heist, criminal Marvin is ripped off, shot, and left for dead by his accomplices—his wife (Acker) and her lover (Vernon). About a year later, Marvin is recovered and looking to get the $93,000 that was stolen from him, stalking through the picture like a wraith with a single-minded purpose. A tough, brute-force crime picture, trimmed of flab and pretensions, but given some eerie, fatalistic, even psychedelic stylizations to set it apart from other hard-edged thrillers of the era. The fractures in the timeline sometimes breed confusion, especially in the beginning, but the inconsistent rhythms actually serve the stark atmosphere and enhance the anxious energy of Marvin’s dogged pursuit for reparations. Memorable location shooting includes scenes set inside the remains of Alcatraz, shut down just three years before production began. Remade many years later as Payback.

81/100