I disagree. There was lot's happening in this movie. Mind you, it was something of a more subtle variety than say, with regards to SCTV, stuff being "blowed up real good".
I recommend you take another look.
This wasn't your typical action movie. I mean, one of the best scenes in the movie is not a climatic shootout, but a bunch of dudes chatting around a dinner table. Look at what's going on here: character development. The whole thing could have easily been a throwaway scene just to get to the shootin' and killin' parts. Instead, it's well-crafted scene that sets the tone for the rest of the film, making the inevitable payoff all the sweeter.
The whole dinner scene begets suspense. A bunch of intense, evil men prodding the nature of their prey. They want to see who they're up against. I also love how they cleverly reveal clues (carefully not to reveal too much) as to their true intent. For example, Busey talking about "devouring the soul" while piercing Mason with his looney-toon stare. Then there's Hauer revealing his twisted sense of morality in partaking his wisdom of "cherising the moments" to Mason. In short, he's telling Mason in a roundabout way that this is his last meal.
For an action movie, there are a lot of monologues...good ones too. Busey's mind-blowing "birthmark" anecdote which, if in a different movie, would've earned him an Oscar nod. Even McGinley's unstable Texan is instilled with pathos.
The performers are so on top of their game that even Ice-T (who's no acting giant) gets fully plugged into the material and blends almost effortlessly, thanks to an outstanding supporting cast.
Truly this is an underrated film filled with top-notch performances and a well-paced, complex narrative.
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