Framed by their ruthless arch-nemesis, a mismatched LAPD crime-fighting duo has to put its differences aside to even the score with the evil kingpin who put them behind bars once and for all... Read allFramed by their ruthless arch-nemesis, a mismatched LAPD crime-fighting duo has to put its differences aside to even the score with the evil kingpin who put them behind bars once and for all.Framed by their ruthless arch-nemesis, a mismatched LAPD crime-fighting duo has to put its differences aside to even the score with the evil kingpin who put them behind bars once and for all.
- Directors
- Andrey Konchalovskiy
- Albert Magnoli(replaced Andrei Konchalovsky)
- Writer
- Stars
Top credits
- Directors
- Andrey Konchalovskiy
- Albert Magnoli(replaced Andrei Konchalovsky)
- Writer
- Stars
- Awards
- 3 nominations
Videos1
Philip Tan
- Gunmanas Gunman
- (as Phillip Tan)
- …
Edward Bunker
- Capt. Holmesas Capt. Holmes
- (as Eddie Bunker)
- Directors
- Andrey Konchalovskiy
- Albert Magnoli(replaced Andrei Konchalovsky) (uncredited)
- Writer
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
- All cast & crew
Storyline
The polar opposites, Ray Tango, a suave and sophisticated police officer, and Gabe Cash, his overzealous long-haired partner, are a mismatched LAPD crime-fighting duo who work tirelessly to bring down their arch-nemesis, the ruthless drug lord, Yves Perret. However, when Perret manages to incriminate the pesty team with falsified evidence, Ray and Gabe will soon end up in a maximum-security prison, where an almost endless parade of inmates previously incarcerated by them, are waiting for their captors impatiently. Now, more than ever, Tango and Cash need to put their differences aside to come up quickly with a good plan, not only to escape the jail's walls but also to even the score with the evil kingpin who put them behind bars once and for all. Of course, that's easier said than done. —Nick Riganas
- action hero
- prison escape
- night club dancer
- sex in the back seat of a car
- reference to john rambo
- 243 more
- Taglines
- Two of L.A.'s top rival cops are going to have to work together... Even if it kills them.
- Genres
- Certificate
- R
- Parents guide
Did you know
- TriviaWhen Brion James was originally hired to play Requin, it was a very small role with only two lines. In an effort to give the character something that would make him stand out, James decided to speak in a horrible "cockney" accent. Sylvester Stallone loved it, and re-wrote the script to give Requin a much bigger role. The same thing happened with Face, played by Robert Z'Dar, who was originally not meant to appear after the opening scene but Sylvester Stallone and Andrey Konchalovskiy took a liking to Z'Dar and thought his appearance was so striking he deserved a larger role in the film.
- GoofsAt the beginning of the movie when the truck is bearing down on Tango and he fires at the truck, the windshield "spiderwebs", as it should, since it would be safety glass. However, when the two men fly through the windshield after the truck is stopped, there are no bullet holes in it and it is clearly a plate glass windshield (due to how it shatters).
- Alternate versionsThe film's distributor actually self-censored the British theatrical version before submitting it to the BBFC. In addition to the footage the BBFC demanded cut, the UK theatrical release also tones down the electrocution of a villain, edited footage of visible bloodletting during the finale, omits some footage of Lopez being riddled with bullets, another head-butt, a throat chop, a villain pushing his fingers into Cash's blood wound, and Cash putting a grenade down a villain's trousers. All footage was reinstated for video.
- SoundtracksBest Of What I Got
Performed by Bad English
Courtesy of CBS Records, Music Licensing Department
Produced by Richie Zito
Written by John Waite, Jonathan Cain and Neal Schon
Top review
If you really wanted to stare death in the eye, you shoulda gotten married.
Sylvester Stallone and Kurt Russell play polar opposite Los Angeles cops who are framed by an arch nemesis and forced to team up in order to clear their name.
Unashamedly macho and very much of its time, this is daft energetic fun that's full of octane inventive action and ever quotable one liners. Stallone is Tango, the smart dressed sophisticated policeman, Russel is Cash, the slobbish act first - ask questions later copper, both men very different but both excellent at their jobs.
Pic gets by mostly on the chemistry between Stallone and Russell, who put much zest into their respective characters bickering and bantering. Action is well put together by director Andrey Konchalovskiy, but unfortunately the final third of the piece starts to sag as our mismatched cops start to respect and befriend each other and the plot reaches the inevitable conclusion.
It doesn't help matters that Jack Palance's main villain is only a bit part player, or that his head henchman Requin (the usually ace Brion James) gives us a quite appalling British accent. Add in Teri Hatcher who is in it purely for dressage and as a cypher between the two boys, then it's a picture not without problems. Yet the script and star turns from the leading duo ensure this remains a favourite of many whom lapped it up back in the backend of the 1980s. 7/10
Unashamedly macho and very much of its time, this is daft energetic fun that's full of octane inventive action and ever quotable one liners. Stallone is Tango, the smart dressed sophisticated policeman, Russel is Cash, the slobbish act first - ask questions later copper, both men very different but both excellent at their jobs.
Pic gets by mostly on the chemistry between Stallone and Russell, who put much zest into their respective characters bickering and bantering. Action is well put together by director Andrey Konchalovskiy, but unfortunately the final third of the piece starts to sag as our mismatched cops start to respect and befriend each other and the plot reaches the inevitable conclusion.
It doesn't help matters that Jack Palance's main villain is only a bit part player, or that his head henchman Requin (the usually ace Brion James) gives us a quite appalling British accent. Add in Teri Hatcher who is in it purely for dressage and as a cypher between the two boys, then it's a picture not without problems. Yet the script and star turns from the leading duo ensure this remains a favourite of many whom lapped it up back in the backend of the 1980s. 7/10
helpful•90
- hitchcockthelegend
- Apr 22, 2019
Details
- Release date
- Country of origin
- Official site
- Language
- Also known as
- The Set Up
- Filming locations
- Production companies
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
Box office
- Budget
- $55,000,000 (estimated)
- Gross US & Canada
- $63,408,614
- Opening weekend US & Canada
- $6,628,918
- Dec 25, 1989
- Gross worldwide
- $63,408,614
- Runtime1 hour 44 minutes
- Color
- Aspect ratio
- 2.39 : 1
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