Starring
Burt Reynolds
Sally Field
Jerry Reed
Jackie Gleason
The movie starts
strong, pulling us into the premise of two men attempting to transport alcohol
from one state to another within a tight deadline. The duo consists of Bandit
(Burt Reynolds) and his sidekick Snowman (Jerry Reed). They’re approached by a
wealthy Texan and his son to bootleg 400 cases of beer for a party, with a
28-hour window to complete the task.
This initial
setup promises suspense, but that tension is quickly buried under a cloud of
dust, endless car chases, and distractions that make the time element feel
irrelevant. To make matters worse, the movie doesn’t clearly establish when the
clock starts or how much time remains, which further diminishes any sense of
urgency. Here is a movie I believe was done to please the people who love to
see Burt Reynolds on TV in an action role.
Once the two set
off to pocket $80,000 for the job, they have a straightforward plan: Snowman
would drive the truck while Bandit, in a sleek black Pontiac Trans Am,
distracts the cops to keep the truck speeding undetected. However, the plan
veers off course when Bandit picks up Carrie (Sally Field), a runaway bride in
a wedding dress.
Carrie’s
presence drags Bandit into a personal feud with Sheriff Buford T. Justice
(Jackie Gleason), who, along with his dim-witted son, is chasing her across
state lines. The Sheriff’s relentless pursuit becomes the movie’s focal point,
turning the plot into a series of increasingly over-the-top car chases.
Meanwhile, Bandit continues to draw police attention away from the truck,
ensuring Snowman stays on track.
The comedy is
entertaining at first but eventually loses its charm as it recycles the same
scenarios: Bandit narrowly escaping the cops with help from other truckers. The
repetition makes the humor feel predictable after a while.
Despite its
flaws, the movie has enough energy to keep you entertained. It’s evident this
was a B-movie concept stretched to mainstream success, with car chases and
stunts taking center stage while the story takes a backseat. The action is
often unrealistic, and the plot lacks substance, but it still delivers a fun,
mindless ride.
The film was a
massive box office hit, grossing over 60 times its production cost, though its
sequels never lived up to the original’s charm.
I’m glad I can
tick this movie off my list, even if I don’t fully understand why it’s so
highly rated.
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