Matylda Swan
It is a whirlwind of delight --- attractive actors, stunning couture, spectacular sets and outrageous parties.
adrian-43767
Steve McQueen is one of my all-time favorite actors, I rate BULLITT his best movie and performance, so this is one of my all-time favorite flicks.I like the way BULLITT begins rather slowly, picks up with a terrific attack on a star witness in a hotel, slows down again, then turns up the heat with a pacy chase inside a hospital, then quietens again as BULLITT gathers info, then the famous car chase with McQueen behind the wheel of the mean Mustang machine, and the equally famous gas station explosion. And so it carries on, with fluctuations in mood and pace, but all tightly held by highly credible stunts and action, and a superb screenplay (apart from the completely spurious segments with the beautiful Jacqueline Bisset, the inevitable female figure to keep the female gender interested and contributing toward box office).Best of all, Steve McQueen, whose eyes alone carry enough menace to keep the viewer riveted. He speaks seldom and then not very much, but he suffers no fools, is a pro, completely interested in his work, and not above stealing a newspaper. There is clearly a shady side to Frank Bullitt, but it only adds to the character's credibility.Peter Yates' direction is first class. Pity that he may have been forced by the studio to include the completely unnecessary character played by Bisset. Apart from that, the acting, photography, stunts. soundtrack and script all interweave extremely credibly.An example is the confrontation between McQueen and Robert Vaughn, preceded by the misuse of an ambulance, an example of institutional racism in relation to a black doctor, and disrespect for the work of police.The climax at the airport is one of the movie's best sequences, in particular the search for the baddie inside the aircraft. Again, McQueen's eyes alone tell more than any amount of shots or words. He is completely mesmerizing and definitely towers above the film, raising it to heights that I doubt any other actor would have managed. A word of praise for entire supporting cast, all of the highest quality, with particular plaudits for the highly convincing villains.Finally, the ending - McQueen returns home, and settles back to routine, as happens with everybody. I have now watched BULLITT some 10 times, and I have always enjoyed it more than the previous times. Definitely worth 9 stars.
sammy
If you are tired of watching movies with lousy stories. If you have had it with narcissistic special effects that hurt your eyes. If you have had enough of those insane and unrealistic rooftop chases and city wrecking car pursuits. If you are done with gobbling up unnecessarily complicated plots. If you are sick of glamourised characters that have no substance. Then do watch this movie.It is an extremely smooth action thriller, with believable plot elements. The action scenes are superb. The acting is excellent. The background score is so very smooth that one eases into the atmosphere. Thee movie features one of the best car chase sequences I have seen. Shorn of any cacophonous and unrealistic nonsense , it is a perfectly credible depiction of what a car chase would be. Steve McQueen and co give great performances and except for a slightly stretched out climax the movie is crisp and gripping.I highly recommend it .
writers_reign
I saw this back in the day and the memory I retained was of a violent movie in the area of Point Blank or Dirty Harry so I was surprised when I watched it again recently to find that apart from the celebrated car chase it is relatively violence-free, which is not necessarily a bad thing. On the whole it is much more cerebral than the average cop-based thriller and reminiscent of the Doona Leon school of detective story with a strong moral stance rather than wallowing in violence. Steve McQueen is someone I have never bought into as a bargain-basement Lee Marvin preferring him in 'smaller' films like Soldier In The Rain and here he is thoughtful rather than macho with a desire to see justice prevail. A good watch.
mspilman-81505
I will begin with the films faults number 1 Steve McQueen's performance it's not one of his best he's dull but still rather good. number 2 the plot it's too complicated. Now for the positive's number one Robert Vaughan's performance captivating. number 2 the music cool and thrilling .Number 3 peter Yates's direction tense gripping and exiting. Number 4 the action scenes heart pounding. This is a not starsky and hutch type frill fest but a gritty down to earth realistic study of police and hospital practices and procedure's which still manages to entertain and excite. A thriller that you'll thrill to. A flawed but great movie. The car chase will leave you breathless .But then so will the whole film.
