The Last Boy Scout

It is primarily a whirlwind of excellent wisecracks that make you forget about the simplicity of the story and the rather clichéd plot. Tony Scott is the type of director who doesn't really care about anything and just does whatever he wants, and thank goodness for that. The Last Boy Scout is a very fast-paced, modern action flick that doesn't get boring even after watching it multiple times. The biggest asset is, of course, the tough guy Joe Hallenback fantastically played by Bruce Willis. An excellent and stylish gem that perfectly captures the great atmosphere of the 1990s. (29/01/2006)

Shane Black wrote a brilliant screenplay that suits him perfectly. It's criminal, it's gritty, yet it's entertaining. There are great characters, and on top of that, an intriguing story that takes you into unfamiliar environments. Bruce Willis and Damon Wayans are a great duo and their dialogue is absolutely awesome. Tony Scott directed it brilliantly, especially the scenes with Willis' film daughter are superb. (10/06/2016)

It is hard to write anything about this gem, because you just don't see stuff like this every day. Bruce Willis, with his iron fist and the strongest nerves, delivering one legendary zinger after another, may be well known to us from Die Hard, but it’s here where he perfected the character of the fearless and garrulous detective. He, together with the likeable Wayans, who, with his relentless mouth, is just begging to be wiped out, and the hard-working director Tony Scott, who orchestrates everything so that Hallenbeck's iron fist is as permanent as possible, put together one of the most entertaining action blockbusters of all time, whose popularity will hardly fade in the future. (12/08/2012)

The first film where I had to diametrically change my rating after a second viewing a few years later. I just knew what I had to expect: a wacky buddy movie by Shane Black that suggests a lot, except something mundane. And it works brilliantly. And yet, The Last Boy Scout, other than the theme song, doesn’t excel at anything. So, like Bruce says to his wife at the end of the film, "Fuck you, Shane" – sometimes you really get on my nerves, but I still love you. (29/08/2015)

The Last Boy Scout was the movie that made me realize that it is not enough for me to hit someone; they have to be taken down verbally first for me to have a good time. I also realized that the world is a dangerous place, Satan Claus is lurking, and we have to be prepared. I have learned some general truths: water is wet, the sky is blue, and women have secrets. In other words, this movie was incredibly good for me as far as memorable lines go, especially in the original version, which I have at home on VHS and which is much punchier than the one you see on TV today. I just had an incredible time watching it, and I still quote a lot of the lines today. Plus, Willis is in top form here, and I find him perhaps even better than in the Die Hard movies. I think the character of Joe Hallenbeck is perfect; I like heroes who are anti-heroes and are more on the fringes of society and make fun of everything and themselves. It is action-packed, suspenseful, and very funny. It has also got some food for thought, and so whenever I am in a bad mood, this is the first movie I reach for. Plus, when I wake up in the morning and look in the mirror, the first thing that comes to mind is "Nobody likes you. Everybody hates you. You're gonna lose. Smile, you fuck." So when I had to choose my top movie, it was clear what to choose, because this one indeed shaped my character. (02/04/2015)