Nighthawks (1981)

 

It might come as something of a surprise to some people, but Sylvester Stallone did not only act in big actionpieces but even dabbled in gritty thrillers from time to time, of which this one is a prime example. It fits with the aesthetic and idea that in the late '70s and early '80s New York was dirty, grimy and rough. 

Oh, and this is the Hollywood debut of Rutger Hauer, who did such a good job Sylvester Stallone apparently re-edited this film to give himself more and Rutger less screentime. And Hauer still steals the show. Talk about raw talent and charisma. 

Hauer is Wulfgar, a highly sought terrorist who actually is a bit too much for most organisations and he actually more than fully commits to a cause. His only weaknesses are that he loves nightclubs and way too much publicity. After some flack from other terrorist organisations, Wulfgar changes his face and leaves for the United States to continue his work there and maybe find new footing within the underground.

It is here that two undercover police officers (Stallone and Williams) are enlisted in order to track down and apprehend or kill Wulfgar. They very nearly succeed, which prompts Wulfgar to change up his schedule and during a summit at the United Nations he takes several officials hostage in a cable car. However, the escape does not go according to plan and now Wulfgar seeks only revenge on DaSilva (Stallone) for foiling his plot.

This might be a film from 1981, but oh boy does it look and feel 70s. By the way: Stallone really works with a thick beard. Just an observation. This one is not free from certain clichés. Stallone and Williams are of course cops who don't play by the rules and of course their chief always yells at them. The fact that these two can instantly track down Wulfgar whereas the entirety of the international police force doesn't seem to know what they're doing is also a bit much. 

But you should really watch this one for the electrifying Rutger Hauer. He steals every scene he's in and makes for a compelling villain - something which the actor would do a lot later on. Hauer reportedly stated that he enjoyed villains more because they give an actor more freedom to fill in the gaps. But he never hams it up and his Wulfgar is a chilling terrorist in every respect. 

Sure, it is no masterclass in cinema, but 'Nighthawks' does hold up really well as a gritty thriller in the vein of 'The French Connection', only lighter. Give it a watch, you might enjoy it.