“Breaking Point” is a vigilante picture that focuses on one man’s moral choice in life to help out a neighbor and the terrifying consequences he endures based on his moral decision.
Director Bob Clark (“A Christmas Story”) experimented with many genres early in his career. He helped to mold the slasher film with his early entry, “Black Christmas” and continued to build an impressive body of work until his untimely death. Then he dabbled in the teen sex comedy genre creating the prototype, “Porky’s,” which was a semi-memoir of his own youth. It was not until later in his career that he began to slack off, creating forgettable film atrocities such as “Baby Geniuses.”
“Breaking Point,” however, was an action filled attempt at the vigilante genre and one of his best pictures.
Michael McBain (Bo Svenson, not the dude from “The Simpsons”) decides to go for ice cream with his stepson, and stumbles upon a man being ruthlessly beaten up in an alleyway. He rushes to help by clobbering the two men, who are discovered to be mafiosos. The man in the alleyway dies and McBain has to make a moral choice of sticking up for the man that died or being a coward and doing nothing. Most people would be so afraid of the mafia that they would walk away claiming to have seen nothing.
McBain is unable to do that though and is forced into witness relocation.
Scenes of them stepping into new identities are handled extremely well by Clark and everything is sort of explained to the audiences.
What separates this from other vigilante movies is that it takes the time to let you meet the family, as you travel with them through the witness relocation process. The action sequences are great and prove how talented Clark was and are equally matched by a witty and intelligent script. It isn’t long before we feel the pain of having to change your entire life at the price of being honest and we understand when push comes to shove why McBain has to single-handedly take on the mafia.
Svenson, who filled in for Joe Don Baker in the “Walking Tall” series, is one of Hollywood’s most underrated tough guys. His height and muscle make him a force to be reckoned with and somehow he still looks like the everyman. The character of McBain is not always thinking with his fists and tries to do right by his family. Moments where he is wrestling with what is the moral thing to do are done superbly by Svenson, allowing all the expressions to be seen on his face.
The great character actor Robert Culp is on hand as Detective Frank Sirrianni, who acts as the voice of reasoning for McBain and also tries to protect him every step of the way.
Now comes the stunt work and special effects that elevate the picture and if you ever wanted to see Svenson flip a house over then here is your chance.
A taut, intelligent well-made vigilante film, is a rare treat and serves as a testament to the early career of Clark. “Breaking Point” is an exciting fast-paced look at what happens when the right choice backfires.
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