“Murphy's Law” Movie Review

 

“Murphy's Law”

 

Movie Review

 

Murphy's Law is a 1986 American neo-noir action thriller directed by J. Lee Thompson and written by Gail Morgan Hickman. The film stars Charles Bronson and Kathleen Wilhoite in the lead roles, with Carrie Snodgress, Robert F. Lyons, and Richard Romanus in supporting roles. The film marks Bronson's sixth collaboration with director J. Lee.

 

A gruff, antisocial Los Angeles Police Department detective named Jack Murphy, played by Charles Bronson, routinely uses alcohol to escape the harsh truth that his ex-wife, played by Angel Tompkins, has turned into a stripper and that his career is on the rocks. Nevertheless, his world is flipped upside down when he is accused of locking up ex-convict Joan Freeman, played by Carrie Snodgress, earlier in his tenure.

 

When he frames the detective for the crimes, Freeman kills the detective's ex-wife and her boyfriend as well as several of his associates. The same police department he works for places him under arrest with Kathleen Wilhoite's Arabella McGee, a foul-mouthed petty crook he had imprisoned. Although still restrained to McGee, Murphy escapes from custody, and the two go in search of the real murderer. Arabella is taken hostage by Freeman and taken to the same building where she was first detained by Murphy when Freeman is on the run after killing everyone on her hit list except for Murphy. Murphy requests assistance but is received with mistrust. When Murphy enters the building to rescue Arabella, Freeman, who is carrying a crossbow, follows him. Arabella is restrained and muzzled at the base of an elevator shaft. When the cop Murphy was being chased by shows up, he pulls a gun on him and confesses that Vincenzo, the crime boss whose brother Murphy killed, is Murphy's employer. With an arrow, Freeman quickly takes out the policeman. When Vincenzo gets impatient and enters the building with his two men, Murphy is once again in danger. The bodyguards are quickly eliminated by Murphy, who then provokes Vincenzo into attempting to kill him. Murphy repels Vincenzo's onslaught by firing a shot, killing him. To kill Arabella, Freeman sends the elevator to the ground. Murphy intervenes just in time to save her. Murphy is provoked into a conflict by Freeman's arrow that he shoots into Arabella's back. She swings an axe at Murphy, who then pushes her over the top floor stair railing. She succeeds in grabbing the axe that is stuck in the railing. She tries to enlist Murphy's assistance. She starts to stumble while he stands and observes. He replies, "Ladies first," when she yells at him to go to hell. She then stumbles and dies as a result. Arabella, who is still alive, and Murphy are put in the back of an ambulance and driven to the hospital.

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