Eddie Murphy has had a legendary career, and in the mid to late 1990s he was scoring box office hits with comedies like The Nutty Professor and Shrek. In 1997, Murphy brought his serious side to Touchstone Pictures action pic, Metro.
The Plot
Scott Roper is one of the best hostage negotiators at the San Francisco Police Department. He is regularly the one called when a tense situation needs to be deescalated. When a fellow cop and best friend is killed by a suspect, Roper vows justice.
The murderer, Michael Korda, robs a jewelry store and takes hostages. Roper is called in to negotiate for the release of hostages. After an action-packed chase on the streets of San Francisco, Korda is captured by Roper. Tempted to retaliate for the death of his friend, Roper is talked off the ledge of vengeance by his partner Kevin McCall.
With the murderer behind bars, Roper relaxes and tries to repair his relationship with his girlfriend Veronica Tate. With plans to go to Tahiti, the vacation is put on hold, as Tate is kidnapped by an escaped Korda, leading to a final showdown.
With McCall assisting, Roper confronts Korda in a final fight that saves Veronica and puts the violent psychopath in his place.
The Good
Eddie Murphy is so good in the film. I remember when Metro came out that critics complained it was a pale imitation of 48 Hours. Murphy brings a reality to his role as Scott Roper that isn’t seen in any of his other action films. We get the silly humor of Murphy in spurts, but the tough guy quality that Murphy exudes through his performance is excellent.
Michael Wincott is a perfect villain. From the menace in his voice to his methodical approach to terror, Wincott is in a class of his own. When he’s first introduced in the film, Wincott plays a passive character that looks friendly and anything but a wolf in sheep’s clothing. The murder of Roper’s friend proves what a violent monster Korda is.
Metro avoids the cliché of having Roper being a miserable mentor to McCall until the end. There is a dislike about being saddled with a partner, but that is over quickly. The friendship and leadership role that Roper takes on as he brings McCall up to speed on what a negotiator needs to do is excellent. The dialogue is crisp, and there is a level of respect between McCall and Roper that other films would have played down. Also, Michael Rapaport is a perfect match for Eddie Murphy.
Metro has all the hallmarks of many films, but the choice of Murphy as the action lead, and the supporting cast as well as the script makes this one of the hidden gems of Eddie Murphy’s film library.
The Bad and the Ugly
The movie is riddled with action movie cliches. From start to finish they are everywhere, including the second bigger that Murphy watches from a safe distance at the climax of the film.
The scene where Korda breaks out of jail is ridiculous. It is preposterous, and really takes away from the flow of the film. I couldn’t help laughing out loud when I witnessed this.
Beyond the Film Facts
- The film was nominated for a Best Soundtrack award at the Acapulco Black Film Festival.
- Harrison Ford was originally attached to star in the film during early development of the film.
- Director Thomas Carter blames the R rating of the film for the poor reception at the box office.
- While the movie was a box office disappointment and took a critical bashing, Roger Ebert gave the film high praise.
- The final scene in the film was not filmed in Tahiti. It was in Half Moon Bay, California, which is a half hour away from San Francisco.
- Metro is one of five movies that Murphy did for Disney.
The Streamy Award
{Watch on your phone (1) Watch on a tablet (2) Perfect travel entertainment (3) Best at home with the biggest screen (4)}
Metro is a hidden gem that was unfairly written off and missed by audiences. If the movie hadn’t been rated R, it would have been a huge hit, and another blockbuster for Murphy’s 90’s renaissance.
Watching the film twenty-five years later, Metro holds up as a great film with some bad words in it. Metro gets a “Level 3 Streamy Award”. You don’t need the biggest screen to enjoy this movie, but Metro would make the perfect movie to download before a long car ride, or a flight.
Cast and Crew
- Eddie Murphy as Scott Roper
- Michael Rapaport as Kevin McCall
- Michael Wincott as Michael Korda
- Carmen Ejogo as Veronica Tate
Directed by Thomas Carter
Produced by Touchstone Pictures / Caravan Pictures / Roger Birnbaum Productions
Release Date: January 17, 1997
Budget: $55 million
Box Office Gross
Domestic: $32,000,301
Coming Soon
Next week, a look back at Jodie Foster’s thriller in the skies, Flightplan.