MOVIE REVIEW : ‘Last Boy Scout’: Slick, Blood-Soaked Escapism

When a movie begins as “The Last Boy Scout” (citywide) does, it’s obviously headed for a blood-soaked never-never land: A star pro pass-receiver runs berserk in a rain-soaked game, pulls a gun, shoots down his would-be tacklers and blows out his brains in the end zone.

Isn’t that the kind of thing 14-year-olds dream up? Should we be surprised that 29-year old Shane Black’s script for this sold, at auction, for $1.75 million?

Probably not.

“Scout” is what modern moguls seem convinced we crave: wild, TV-drenched escapism. It’s one of those movies that wants to keep bouncing you off your seat: a bang-zap-zowie crash-a-thon about two misfit heroes (Bruce Willis and Damon Wayans), who meet, woo each other with wisecracks, kill a lot of guys and then go into business together.

It’s a veiled romance, punctuated by murders. A lot of the villains have effete mannerisms, including one who petulantly tosses his blond locks before doing in his victims.

The heroes are Joe Hallenbeck (Willis), a battered old mug of a stubble-faced shamus who loves Pat Boone’s “Moody River,” and Jimmy Dix (Wayans), a bald pro quarterback banned for gambling and drugs, whose hooker girlfriend has just been killed. Arrayed against them is a crazed collection of sadistic team owners, perverted U.S. senators and that swarm of thugs.

The title refers to Willis’ character, meant to be a beacon of honor in the midst of corruption and insanity. (Because he likes Pat Boone?) But it’s really a dirty-mouth Walter Mitty fantasy, product of an age where naivete and cynicism are locked in promiscuous embrace. It’s also macho daydreaming with a vengeance. When the buddies meet in a strip joint, they don’t shake hands: Jimmy snarls and Hallenbeck crushes his fist. And that’s just Joe’s routine when he’s mellow.

Writer Black has cooked up this kind of bloody slumgullion before in “Lethal Weapon,” and director Tony Scott served it up in “Beverly Hills Cop 2.” They’re not deterred by the emptiness of what they’re doing. They flaunt it, though Black tries to lighten things up with nonstop bantering.

Actually, Black is only making variations on his “Weapon” structure. In “Weapon,” a tormented, screwed-up white cop joined forces with a settled, married black buddy.

Here, the white shamus has everything. He’s tormented and screwed up, and he’s also the stabilizing force. He’s got the wife and kid; his little girl even helps him kill people, by passing him a fuzzy puppet with a gun inside. Wayans, the flashy “In Living Color” comic cast as Dix, is reduced to sidekick status. When he’s icing bullies or foiling assassination attempts by throwing footballs at people’s heads, it’s hard to tell how comic his intentions are.

The best things about “The Last Boy Scout” (rated R for graphic violence and very strong language) are the editing, Bill Medley’s singing, a few moments of Noble Willingham villainy and Willis--whose weary, exasperated style exactly suits this kind of material.

But the worst things about “Scout” are its slickness and self-confidence. A story about lonely heroism in a sick age should be a little hipper to what’s really heroic and what’s really sick.

‘The Last Boy Scout’

Bruce Willis: Joe Hallenbeck

Damon Wayans: Jimmy Dix

Chelsea Field: Sarah

Taylor Negron: Milo

A Geffen Pictures presentation of a Silver Pictures production, released by Warner Bros. Director Tony Scott. Producers Joel Silver, Michael Levy. Executive producers Shane Black, Barry Josephson. Screenplay Black. Cinematographer Ward Russell. Editors Mark Goldblatt, Mark Helfrich. Costumes Marilyn Vance-Straker. Music Michael Kamen. Production design Brian Morris. Art director Christiaan Wagener. Set decorator John Anderson. Running time: 1 hour, 47 minutes.

MPAA-rated R (for graphic violence and very strong language).