IMDb user comments for
Let's Get Harry (1986)

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13 comments in total

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5 out of 6 people found the following comment useful :-
Terrific cast utterly wasted in this limp actioner., 6 abril 2004

Author: Jonathon Dabell (barnabyrudge@hotmail.com) de Wakefield, England

Director Stuart Rosenberg was so dismayed when he surveyed the finished film that he had his name taken off the credits. That should warn you just how bad this cheesy 80s action movie is. But on a certain level, there's a weird, voyeuristic pleasure to be gained from seeing so many good actors struggling with such awful material. Why is a personable leading man like Mark Harmon wasting his time in a badly-written glorified cameo? Why is a rugged, reliable old-timer like Ben Johnson slumming as an embittered father? And - biggest question of the lot - why is a dynamic, Oscar-winning talent as notable as Robert Duvall staining his amazing reputation on such a brainless, gung-ho production?

Harry (Harmon) is an American plumber who has just spent several months working in Colombia on an ambitious major water-plant. The day he is due to return home, he is kidnapped by jungle guerillas who say they will only return him safely if some of their colleagues are released by the American authorities. Since the Americans have no intention of meeting the kidnappers' demands, things look pretty bleak for Harry. Harry's brother can't bear the thought of losing his beloved sibling, so he hires a tough mercenary, Shrike (Duvall), and puts together an unlikely rescue team. Their mission, plain and simple: "Let's Get Harry!"

Coming hot on the heels of other rescue-in-the-jungle films (like Uncommon Valor, Missing in Action, P.O.W - The Escape, and Rambo), Let's Get Harry tries to be different by going for a South American locale instead of Vietnam. However, the story is utterly terrible, with totally unbelievable characters and situations, and an unhealthy attitude towards non-US citizens (who are here portrayed as corrupt, devious, violent, drug-fuelled and expendable). Other than Duvall, the performances are lazy and amateurish. Some reviewers would argue that I'm missing the point, and that the plot and characters have been intentionally sacrificed in the name of cheesy action - but the action is so intermittent (not to mention poorly filmed) that the film is a failure even on "mindless-adventure-movie" level. All things considered, Let's Get Harry can be summed up in three words: bad, bad bad!

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6 out of 8 people found the following comment useful :-
who wrote this thing, 12 julio 2005
Author: (lionel.libson@verizon.net) de United States

The cast and the plot outline suggested an action-packed thriller. Instead, through a lack of intelligence, or just laziness, we get a cartoon,filled with irksome inconsistencies...examples-they're captured and thrown in a hellhole prison, but manage to keep coke, cigarette lighters a large,fresh cigar and wardrobe changes, for later use. with no obvious bulges in their pockets, or travel gear of any kind, they find seemingly endless ammo clips They are able to survive without water(no canteens), and constantly endanger the mission with meaningless tantrums. Finally,successfully, they return home in triumph to be greeted by a bunch of people we've never seen before, or merely in passing. Lives were lost,but no one seems to care or remember.

Even for me, a waste of time.

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1 out of 1 people found the following comment useful :-
Career Ending Film, 23 agosto 2005

Author: imdb-45 de New York

*** This comment may contain spoilers ***

There are some films that you wonder what the actors were thinking and whether their careers will be irreparably damaged by the poor, B- quality. With a cast like Robert Duvall, Busey and Harmon, you expect no less than average medicrioty. I should have known when I saw Glenn Frey of the Eagles listed as one of the cast.

This is a lazy effort which is not at all credible and that is the film's problem. The characters go into dangerous territories without the fear that would be natural and go around shooting in movieland. Some of the shootouts are downright hysterically bad B-movie and it's like there was a discount at 7/11 for the six pack of the "let's have the bad guys get shot and fall down off a ledge" package. Their clothes weren't right for an "expedition" of this nature. The dialogue was not natural.

In his defense, Duvall does all that he can with his character. He oozes charm. Busey acts like a Bucktoothed third rate actor here with the entire film quality feeling like a lesser Jean Claude Van Damme effort -- and that's not good.

Fortunately I only saw snippets of this film because it became just too stupid to watch. One scene, not a spoiler, shows Duvall's character trying to negotiate a flight while much grass is being unloaded. One of his "party" has a problem with the illegality that is going on. It is not only out of place for this kind of stupid morality statement (hey, they have submachine guns and are supposedly ruthless and will kill you in a moment) but the resulting dialogue is laughable.

If you just want a shoot em up, let's go get em type film, irrespective of any reality check, go for it. The other reviewers were not too harsh in nailing this film to the wall.

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not very good at all......, 9 julio 2008

Author: dutchthea de Netherlands

In Columbia two Americans get kidnapped. One is the US ambassador and the other a plumber named Harry Burck ( Mark Harmon ) from a small town in Illinois. They are kidnapped by a drug-lord who wants some of his men released from a US jail. Harry's friends go to Washington to try and get the government to do something about it. They are stone-walled. Desperate they hire a mercenary ( Robert Duvall ) and head for Columbia to Harry's rescue! Daft idea huh? Yep. But our brave American heroes are determined to save their friend! It could have been a nice action-movie, but it's pretty bad acted and executed. Most actors are sleepwalking. Only Duvall and Gary Busey give slightly inspired performances. Can't really blame the actors though for this is terribly bad written with no logic or interesting dialog at all. Waste of time I'd say.

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1 out of 2 people found the following comment useful :-
The Trouble With (Let's Get) Harry, 16 diciembre 2006
Author: fjcamper de United States

I was Robert Duvall's character coach or model in Harry. He attended my training camp in Alabama in September 1985 before going on down to Vera Cruz Mexico for the location filming.

The major problem with the film was the director(s) and the editing. The actual script wasn't bad. One director quit, and the finishing director cut so much from the film that Duvall tried to keep it from being released, and the director ended up having his own name removed from the film and "Alan Smithee" (a name used to protect the guilty) credited as director.

Virtually all of the training scenes were cut where the plumbers become commandos, and the character development went with it.

Duvall wanted to make a good movie. The script called for his character to give a dying speech after getting shot. When he and I went over the scene, I told him after getting hit the way he was supposed to, he wouldn't be able to say anything. He played it that way.

When I finally saw the film, I was surprised to discover that not only had Duvall followed my advice on how to dress, etc., but that he had adopted my own personal mannerisms and way of talking. He never said anything about doing that.

I was disappointed in the final release, even more than most viewers. I know what's missing.

Frank Camper

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0 out of 1 people found the following comment useful :-
another movie about evil guerrillas and American heroes, 10 abril 2006

Author: lmcm87

this is just another movie about the evil Colombian guerrillas and the brave American heroes. bloody as it can be the movie only portraits the "bad" part of a beautiful country. I don't think it is well done as a movie or that it shows in anyway the reality of a country like Colombia which, constantly improves and shows to be winning the fight against terrorism and drug dealers. I also find it extremely utopic and epic, yet it is your choice to watch it or not. The whole movie revolves around friendship, but it shows a lot more than that. Just know that Hollywood is not showing the reality of those third world countries and that those kind of movies offend many people around the world.

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0 out of 1 people found the following comment useful :-
take it easy, 3 julio 2005
Author: cranestyle43 de United States

A plot similar to this film was hatched by H. Ross Perot, as written in the book "On the Wings of Eagles," by Ken Follett about a situation in Iran which was very similar to this movie. To me this film really didn't have hardly anything to do with race, I think the reviewer may be reading a little too much into the plot. For a small action movie, this film was interesting and entertaining. The performance of Robert Duvall is understated and sublime, offset by the tailor-made role of the used car salesman, played by Gary Busey. It seems that Busey really didn't have to stretch his acting skills too much for this role, but it was fun to watch.

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1 out of 3 people found the following comment useful :-
Pure Entertainment, 3 junio 2003

Author: actionpro de Texas

Let's Get Harry is an excellent action movie, as far as low-budget, throwaway action movies go. Don't expect state-of-the-art special effects, a deep and meaningful plot, or Oscar-winning performances by any of the stars (however, it should be noted that Gary Busey, arguably, gives one of his best performances). What you will find, however, is a movie that will entertain fans of the genre for 102 minutes. Basically, it is a Charles Bronson movie without Charles Bronson. As for racial insensitivity, anyone that finds insensitivity within this movie is not a true fan of the genre and probably ought to stay away from action movies in general, as any movie where white people aren't being slaughtered is offensive to them. The purpose of Let's Get Harry is to entertain, not to provide thought-provoking insight into US/Colombian relations.

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1 out of 4 people found the following comment useful :-
This is a great film., 27 septiembre 2002

Author: mm-39 de Winnipeg

*** This comment may contain spoilers ***

Spoilers!!!

HBO sometimes comes out with great films, and this is one of them. 4.8 and that guy's hateful comments towards this movie I totally disagree with. Rent this film, the people who review it give it a bum rap. I was watching it, with my sister's boyfriend Blake. He yelled get the American flag out, and a bunch of other hysterics. I ignored it, I thought that other countries besides the states also have their social problems, which results in Harry's capture. The part Blake did not get is this film has little to do countries, but communities, families, and brothers. Actually, no one in the government was going to save Harry and he was going to die, and Harry's brother, community and friends did something about it. Gary Busey plays a good role as the financier, too bad he ruined a good career. Robert Duvel, plays the dirty, but fair mercenary. Some can do it others make mistakes, we learn about each character's faults; The scene where everyone in this proud mid western town at work hear that one of their own is rescued, and the party they throw touches my heart. Especially when he understands why the family guy tried, and could not do the mission. I believe in family and community, and that is what this movie is about. 8/10

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1 out of 4 people found the following comment useful :-
Busy is my hero, 19 diciembre 2000
Author: zong de iowa

Does anyone else feel that Gary Busy was blatantly snubbed for an oscar for his role as the psychopathic, trigger-happy cocaine-fiend in Let's Get Harry? I mean, the man is pure genius. And Alan Smithee's flawless directing cannot be ignored. Let's face it--Let's Get Harry is simply one of the best films ever made. This movie has everything: an inexplicable plot, countless killings, a dirtball Columbian drug dealer who makes a fortune off of the work of an old man with alzheimer's who is happy with receiving a carton of cigarettes for a million dollar's worth of coke, and, of course...Busy, inflamed nostrils and all.

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