This movie is the proof that the world is becoming a sick and dumb place

Very good movie overall, highly recommended. Most of the negative reviews don't have any merit and are all pollitically based. Give this movie a chance at least, and it might give you a different perspective.

The thing I enjoyed most about the film is the fact that it doesn't shy away from being a super-sized-cliche;

A terrific literary drama and character piece that shows how the process of creating art can be seen differently by those doing it and those looking at it from the outside.

Stylist Walter Hill has Directed some Very Underrated and Under-Appreciated Movies and this is One of them. With a Killer Cast including Lance Henriksen, Ellen Barkin, Morgan Freeman, and Forest Whitaker it is Mickey Rourke as the Title Character that Slinks Back in the Frame and Plays Off the Others with Pathos and Empathy that draws the Viewer into this Violent and Edgy Neo-Noir.It is a Colorful Downer of a Movie that has Roots in the Pulp Fiction and Film Noir of the Thirties and Forties. Set in Modern Day New Orleans the Mood is Bleak and Sombre. The Movie Burns with Style and the Charismatic Characters all Contribute to this Low Brow Version of a Greek Tragedy. The Film was Ignored and Panned but it is a Gem Waiting for Discovery by Modern Film Buffs and has a Packed in Quality that Unleashes a Baggage of Bang Up Scenes that Click with a Cutting Edge of Nastiness and Cynicism. Henriksen and Barkin are Foul Mouthed Low Lifes of the Highest Order and Morgan Freeman is on hand to Deliver some of the most Defeatist Dialog.Mickey Rourke shows once again a Knack for Picking the most Off Beat Roles and Delivers yet another take of Someone Outside the Orbit of Hollywood. The Ry Cooder Score is just One More Addition to this Already Rich Rumble of the Mean Streets.

Johnny Handsome is a bank robber with facial deformities. When his friend is killed and he is double-crossed by some accomplices on a job he ends up in prison, but his case is taken up by a pioneering surgeon researching the link between physical disabilities and criminal recidivism. If he can give Johnny a new face, can Johnny turn his life around ?I have a very soft spot for this movie, although I must admit its story line is unremittingly bleak and its world view is harshly cynical. If you're looking for a cheery date movie, its cocktail of violence, suffering and nihilism is perhaps not for you. But, if you're prepared to go with it, it's a great story full of rich characters, terrific performances and a highly original theme - to what extent are criminal tendencies part of our personalities, and is it futile to try to overcome them ? I'm especially drawn to the Drones character (brilliantly played by Freeman), for whom life contains no surprises and people behave in an entirely predictable way. In one sense he's loathsome, constantly hounding and belittling anyone's attempt to better themselves, but in another he's a world-weary but compassionate realist whose eloquent final epitaph for Johnny is as touching and heartfelt as any ever written. All of the characters are imbued with passion, be it Donna's dignity, Sunny's scheming, Dr Fisher's philanthropy or Rafe's constantly simmering fury, and the entire ensemble are all fearless and terrific, right down to the minor players. The sultry New Orleans setting and drunken blues guitar score by Ry Cooder combine to create a potboiler atmosphere of decadence and tension, of lives lived at a flashpoint and corruption lurking around every darkened street corner. It also utilises a very interesting camera style, whereby the actors are often talking and looking direct to camera for long beats; monologues rather than over-the-shoulder dialogue. This stuff is literally in-your-face and intensifies all the big speeches - director of photography Matthew F. Leonetti also counterpoints it with silent reaction shots, so that the movie is deliciously slow and dreamy as it winds towards its sad but satisfying conclusion. All of these elements are beautifully woven together by Hill into a brilliant - if minor - crime picture which is both thought-provoking and deeply affecting. Extremely well written by Ken Friedman, based on the book The Three Worlds Of Johnny Handsome by John Godey (who also wrote The Taking Of Pelham One Two Three). If you are ever prone to thinking Morgan Freeman is overrated, or in too many movies, give yourself a stern talking to and then watch this film. All of the cast are very good, but he is mesmerisingly brilliant - every nuance, every look, every pause, every gesture counts towards the drama and contradiction of his complicated character and to the rich enjoyment of the movie. He's a truly great actor. 7/10

Well renowned action director Walter Hill tackles a more moody, character driven crime drama in the shape of "Johnny Handsome" and it would have to be one of his under-the-radar productions. The story follows that of a deformed criminal John who stages a heist, however there's a double-cross which sees his best friend killed and him going to prison. There he is asked to take part in a rehabilitation program, where they clear him of his deformity while also getting him parole. Hoping now that he can start a new life, however John is still burning inside for vengeance. Presenting an ideal cast, Hill really does cast a spell over his audience with solid (even if it does feel a bit underdone) story-telling backed up by credibly good performances from leading man Mickey Rourke (within the peak of his career) and equally so support by Morgan Freeman, Ellen Barkin Lance Henrikson, Elizabeth McGovern and Forest Whitaker. Everybody chips in, adding their own stamp to proceedings and establishing gripping character rapports or confrontations (e.g. between Freeman's detective and Whitaker's doctor).Hill's cruise-like direction is crisp and tidy, engineering some intense passages and some well-oiled, edgy action set-pieces, although they are low-key (still violent) but this really does belong to its cast and the interestingly, smart story (that was adapted off John Godey's novel "The Three Worlds of Johnny Handsome"). The ambitious plot does have a lot going on and it might not all come together, but how it does play out stays constantly interesting and rather unpleasant in its details. Rourke's character Johnny is given a chance to start over and go straight, from this physical change brings much needed confidence but the hunger inside for revenge can't simply be cured or forgotten. Someone he cared for, who saw beyond his deformity deserved payback. Johnny would deliver it. So he carefully plans out the revenge, wanting to tease before actually ending it and things get even more suspenseful when the situation starts to go off the rails. Lance Henrikson and Ellen Barkin really do nail down their explosively sly parts of the two crooks who betrayed Johnny. The ever-reliable, Hill regular Ry Cooder adds a smoking touch to the music score.One of those films I didn't know all that much of, but came away pleasantly surprised.

It is rare that a movie with a premise as far-fetched as Johnny Handsome could wind up being so memorable. It helps when a top notch action director is assisted by an outstanding ensemble cast firing on all cylinders to make this story believable.Johnny Handsome hit theaters in the fall of '89. It bombed, largely due to a weak promotional campaign by Tri-Star pictures. 19 years later, it is still unavailable on DVD. The excellent cast includes Ellen Barkin, Scott Wilson, and future Oscar winners Morgan Freeman and Forrest Whittaker. However, it is Mickey Rourke in the title role and Lance Henriksen as his arch-nemesis who truly hit grand slams with their performances. The heartbreaking original score by Ry Cooder and the rich atmosphere of the New Orleans setting also elevate this material considerably. This is not your typical revenge action picture.The movie can best be described as a gritty, noir-ish crime drama with a sci-fi twist that maintains plausibility instead of running off the rails into comedic territory as with 1997's Face/Off. The film moves at a brisk pace, which is fine, but this fact ultimately winds up being the only flaw with Johnny Handsome. One almost gets the impression more was filmed but the studio demanded a 90 minute cut. A Special Edition director's cut DVD is warranted. A longer run time allowing for more scenes to flesh out the characters portrayed by the great supporting cast would have made this already outstanding film a true classic.It would really be nice to see Walter Hill direct another action film one of these days. Hill and Peckinpah were the real deals. Other filmmakers (such as John Woo) strive to match the perfection of these two, but have yet to achieve it.