Liberty stands still started out dumb enough with a woman being handcuffed to a hot dog cart and starting off a conversation with a sniper randomly firing at her in a crowded place. However, as things progressed, whilst the plot never became less absurd, the story was interesting and the pace did not let up.
The dynamic between Wesley Snipes and Linda Fiorentino is very interesting and it kept me engaged. The chemistry combined with the slow burn exposition of their respective backstories made for a through-line which carried Liberty Stands Still comfortably through its ninety minute running time.
The tension is ramped up by contract killers and the NYPD getting involved and I was getting some callback towards the excellent 1976 disaster film Two Minute Warning. I don't know what it is, but these Whitman like scenarios make for terrific suspense thrillers.
Liberty Stands Still combines character drama, political intrigue and Hitchcockian devices, like some kind of low-rent soderberg joint. It's a hidden gem, simply put. I had a great time and I consider it a solid entry into Wesley Snipes' filmography.
The dynamic between Wesley Snipes and Linda Fiorentino is very interesting and it kept me engaged. The chemistry combined with the slow burn exposition of their respective backstories made for a through-line which carried Liberty Stands Still comfortably through its ninety minute running time.
The tension is ramped up by contract killers and the NYPD getting involved and I was getting some callback towards the excellent 1976 disaster film Two Minute Warning. I don't know what it is, but these Whitman like scenarios make for terrific suspense thrillers.
Liberty Stands Still combines character drama, political intrigue and Hitchcockian devices, like some kind of low-rent soderberg joint. It's a hidden gem, simply put. I had a great time and I consider it a solid entry into Wesley Snipes' filmography.