Had to go with the Director’s Cut here. Can’t say I recall much of the first viewing of it way back when, beyond shooting a man’s nice luggage, which is, in fact, just plain mean. But this is the rare occasion where the Director actually tightens the movie by like 12 minutes, making it a meaner one. If nothing else, the main character ‘Porter’ is efficient. He’d appreciate that.
Porter, fresh outta jail. Walkin the long walk back to New York. So, not a popular guy, can’t even get a ride. And his actions straight out? Not likeable. But we quickly find out he got robbed some money, and he intends on getting it back. Pretty focused on that, really. It Helps that he’s really good at crime. And when pushed on all sides, yeah, he doesn’t hesitate to push back.
Based on the book “The Hunter” by Richard Stark, aka Donald E. Westlake, this is his pseudonym’s darker yin to the more light-hearted yang of Westlake’s Dortmunder character. But both are still ultimately steered by the same thing. Principle. A simple concept. Yet few are truly guided by it. Porter here? Yeah. Principle to a fault. Or, maybe, psychopathic, if not for the love interest. But shit, it is his money, after all. Decent revenge crime thriller; I can’t say for the theatrical cut but after a quick glancing over, that version may have gotten a bit more Hollywood-ized complete with shit blowing up at the end? Naw, I’ll stick to this one, using wits and guns and an occasional throw-pillow as a silencer. Porter may be principled, but his morals are...a bit fuzzy.
