Blue Desert (1990) User Reviews (12)

Good atmosphere but lots of plot holes!

[laptoppclaptop · 6/10 · 6 September 2016]

This movie had lots of flaws but overall still watchable such as Saturday night entertainment for example. I liked the actors, the setting, and atmosphere and the base idea of the script was really good.

But the way the whole script was played out and directed was full of plot holes and that was the main flaw of he movie and why it was not as engaging as it could have been. It is very unfair to blame actors for it though as some other reviewers have done as the actors simply have to do what the script and director says.

So the way Lisas character was acting and reacting in certain situations was totally unrealistic. Like she had been threatened by the geeky guy before and when he turns up again instead of locking herself in trailer she goes out and offers him a sandwich. OK, suppose that was for diversion,for calming him down. But while the guy is eating sandwich, she had a good opportunity to run inside, lock the door, grab a hammer or something.But no, she instead joins him for a drink! On top of that, she lets him inside all the while she had all the time to slam the door in front of his nose, lets him to fix the sink and then volunteers to go near him!

Or, a after another attempt of sexual attack, she undresses herself with lights on and windows uncovered! Also, the couple who rented her the trailer were just 50 m away in the house! Yet it never occurred to her to ask their help or to sleep in the house together with couple after the attacks and threats! Also, in the life threatening situations Lisa remains surprisingly calm and mellow. That was not very realistic either. A normal reaction would have been absolute hysteric and panic.

In spite of all that, I still quite liked the movie but I wish i had thread and needle to sew up the plot holes!

No Common Sense

[mack-29 · 29 August 2004]

This movie should win an award for dumbest female protagonist. It's hard to have any sympathy for the Cortney Cox character, Lisa, because every time she is given an opportunity to avoid a threat, she decides to remain. She has a million opportunities to leave this town and the two nuts who are threatening her, but she remains. You have to wonder if Lisa has any shred of common sense because time after time she does the exact opposite of what common sense would dictate.

If being an empowered woman means staying in a mobile home in the desert in a town of strangers and continually letting strange men into your home even when you know they are dangerous and never asking your neighbors for help, then the life span of such a woman is going to be very short.

Comic book artists have very tight deadlines that they must meet each month.

It was amazing to see Lisa working calmly at her drawing board, pencilling, inking and lettering a complete comic while spending her days and nights being nearly raped, chased across the desert in her Chevette by a police cruiser and sticking a 5 inch knife in a police officer's thigh.

All in a days work for "EMPOWERED WOMAN" I guess.

Comic book artist gets raped in NYC and moves to small western town and seek shelter in a trailer park with wood paneling, no match for the town crazies.

[CRNAHastings · 1/10 · 4 March 2006]

This movie is about a female rape victim/comic book writer from New York that decides to get away from all that awful big city glamor and move to a dirty, run down small town where she finds refuge in a single-wide trailer on a dirt lot in the middle of 12th and nowhere. The townspeople are mentally ill, yet so is she for inviting crazy men into her trailer. Annoying is the fact that she has the ability to do exactly the right thing to place herself in dangerous circumstance after dangerous circumstance. DB Sweeney's performance was high school at best. He's one of those kinda-cute young actors with a sweet grin. Unfortunately career has not been kind and mother nature has been right in tow. To the previous commentator stating that the acting was "so real", well I agree. Actually it wasn't acting. The two main characters really are pathetic, weak and incapable of making mature, healthy decisions. In brief, this movie sucks like no other, rent it to laugh at it. The real crime scene? The atrocious Wood paneling in the trailer - enough to make ME commit murder. And lastly, she's a artist/writer, so couldn't she afford a double-wide trailer and something other than a sun-yellow Chevy Chevette for love of god!

Courtney Cox stuck in a comic book script ..........

[merklekranz · 2/10 · 24 January 2010]

There is an awful lot wrong with this picture, beginning with a script that is both obvious and redundant. Courtney Cox plays a comic book artist who escapes to a small desert town after being raped twice in the big city. She immediately is stalked by a local who appears quite unhinged (Craig Sheffer), and who seems to be attempting a third rate Mickey Rourke imitation. D.B. Sweeny is a local cop, who is supposedly there to protect and serve. Meanwhile, the script manipulates the audience as to who's really the good guy? Logic flies out the window after the first ten minutes and never returns, and there are more unanswered questions than there should be. If you think "Blue Desert" might be saved by the wonderful Philip Baker Hall, you will be disappointed. His part is insignificant, just like the entire movie. - MERK

Force feeding. (minor spoilers)

[vertigo_14 · 3/10 · 24 December 2006]

'Blue Desert' may have had the potential to be even a half-way plausible and more enjoyable thriller had the main character, Lisa Roberts (Courtney Cox) not been so stupid. When she is the victim of another attack on the streets of New York, comic book artist Roberts moves to a small town out West. In her first days there, she meets the suspiciously crazy Randall Atkins (Craig Sheffer, playing this part well) who will eventually not leave her side. Fearing for her safety after having been in the situation already twice before, she strikes up a friendship and relationship with the suspiciously amicable town cop, Steve Smith (D.B. Sweeny, who's character does not seem convincing enough, leaving disbelief among viewers who should otherwise be convinced of the red herrings thrown by the writers). Smith needs Roberts cooperation because, as he tells her, Atkins is an ex-con and guilty of sexual assault. But, the cops have lacked the evidence to put him away before.

The movie had enough ploys to at least make an interesting movie because soon enough, there is such confusion as to whom Roberts should trust. However, much of the intended suspense appears too forced because Roberts character never seems to react to simple things as we think any reasonable person might. And her delayed responses allow much of that suspense to occur to easily and unconvincingly, particularly in the finale. Perhaps Sweeny was the wrong choice for this role; too baby faced in ways that kind of recall Kevin Anderson's persona evident in his character in 'Sleeping With the Enemy.' Or, if Lisa Roberts was written as a stronger character, this might suffice as well. In the meantime, the film is not all that great, even as a low-budget B-thriller.

D B SWEENEY IS SO CONVINCING

[[e-mail] · 10/10 · 6 November 2003]

This movie really builds to a climax at the end. D B Sweeney (Memphis Belle, Superfire, Hardball, 8 Men Out, The Cutting Edge) is such an under-rated actor. This guy should be getting major movie roles!

I ordered this movie, Blue Desert, because Sweeney was in it. I was not disappointed. He plays the local law enforcement officer (Steve Smith) of a small, sleepy, boring desert town. Lisa, (Courtney Cox), a rape victim, leaves NYC to get away from that madness and settle in the desert where she will feel safer. Boy, was she wrong! She meets a weird drifter who immediately tries to take sexual advantage of her (Craig Sheffer of A River Ran Through It). So she finds out fast that this sleepy little town isn't as safe as she wishes. She turns to Steve, (D B Sweeney), who is the helpful and protective police officer. Steve is always polite, trusting, and soft spoken. Sweeney plays this role perfectly! Steve is there to help the damsel in distress.

The movie twists and turns. Evidence mounts against the drifter but Sweeney can't get enough evidence to put the guy away. The drifter tells Lisa bad things about Steve and the polite and efficient Steve tells Lisa he is there to protect her and not to believe the drifter. Who to believe? After awhile Lisa doesn't know who is the bad guy and who is the good guy.

The ending is as suspenseful as you can get in a movie. Like I have said before, Sweeney is wonderful in this role. He makes this movie work as far as I am concerned because he is so believable.

If you like a psycho thriller. If you like suspense. If you like Courtney Cox and if you like D.B. Sweeney, then this movie is for you. I highly recommend this sleeper of a movie. It is well worth watching.

Quite good!

[Eric-1226 · 17 August 2002]

This movie is way above average. Along the lines of a "chick power" movie (starring Courtney Cox - who looks great here riding a big Harley motorcycle, by the way), it has a compelling storyline, an interesting desert setting, and just enough plot twists and turns to make it intriguing until the very end. The movie has a genuine atmosphere of suspense and mystery throughout, as well as an interesting side-bar of a comic strip that gets lightly woven into the story.

What strikes me most about this film is that the characters and the setting all seem extremely realistic and believable - it's almost as if this story really happened.

There are a few scenes of violence, a bit of gun action, plus a few car chase segments, but they are very low-key - not at all like the way over-the-top nonsense that you see all too often in the movies. This only adds to the realism of the movie.

I was also struck by certain similarities between this movie and "Tank Girl" (1995), which also had a "chick power" theme, as well as comic book segments woven into the movie.

Anyway, if you like realistic crime-drama movies, I'd highly recommend this little gem.

One of the most underrated thrillers of the decade.

[sambuca · 8/10 · 29 November 1999]

I first saw 'Blue Desert' by chance on a late TV show and I liked so much I rented it twice on video, although I had missed the first scenes and didn't know its title.However, every time I've talked to friends about this movie, it looks like they haven't even heard about it. And it's a shame because in my opinion this is one of the best thrillers of the decade, much better than the overrated 'Silence of the lambs' and 'Wild things', but somehow it seems that it never attracted the attention it deserved.

The plot and direction are (almost) flawless, the suspense builds on from the first until the last minute and Courteney Cox makes a top-quality performance.

However, I would still advise everyone to give this movie a chance because it's definitely worth it.

(My Rating: 8/10)

Super

[alfaman · 28 April 2000]

I would totally agree with the review made by the guy before me. This movie really has everything going for it. I was very impressed with the story line & plot as well as the great acting by Cox and Sweeny among others. I would ask anyone who likes thriller flicks to go and rent this you won't be in for something boring and predictable.

Really good

[bzxkvjvw · 10/10 · 3 January 2023]

Wow, this movie was honestly really enjoyable. I love me a good ol thriller movie and this was it! From the music to the story and the cast was just all really good! I mean who doesn't just love Courtney cox first off. She was great and so was Craig Sheffer! I really like the place this was filmed the old town in the middle of nowhere and the trailer where she was drawing her comics. The comics were really good also really liked them. So this was a really good thriller and I really enjoyed it. If you haven't seen it I would absolutely recommend this to watch because it was a really good movie and a good thriller.

Occasionally chilling, not quite predictable

[vchimpanzee · 25 April 2006]

Lisa Roberts has been raped, so she leaves New York for her aunt and uncle's trailer in the desert community of Oneida. She lives there alone with her relatives' birds, but helpful neighbor Walter is next door with his wife Emily.

Lisa is the illustrator for Iron Medusa comic books. While she is working on her art in a restaurant, she meets Randall, who likes her work (later we learn his daughter, who died in an accident, was a big fan of Iron Medusa). They become friends. Randall rides a motorcycle and enjoys the great outdoors, but he hates living in a small town where everyone knows everyone else's business. Though he explains he is living on disability and taking short-term work, he says his goal is to move to San Francisco and renovate houses.

Randall wants to move his relationship with Lisa to the next level, but she is not ready because of her recent traumatic experience. What happens next brings Deputy Steve Smith into the picture. He is very nice and suspicious of Randall.

Something strange is going on in this town. It may involve Joe and another man Lisa sees outside the trailer.

There's not anything really special about this movie, though Lisa is confident and determined while never completely overcoming her nervousness, and she has plenty of reasons to be scared. Lisa's art (according to the credits, Matthew Nelson's) is really good and probably has real therapeutic value because she can pretend to dispose of the villains in her life. In reality, it is not that easy. (By the way, I'm not interested in comic books or their art.)

Courtney Cox, D. B. Sweeney and Craig Sheffer all give good performances. The circumstances provide us with the occasional chilling moment, and the obligatory creepy music shows up from time to time. Most importantly, a number of plot twists keep us constantly guessing. There is more violence than I would have liked, and obviously some sexual content--not necessarily of a violent nature.

I was disappointed by the ending. I'm sure nothing significant was edited out, but it seemed to me the writers dug themselves a hole and then found a white rabbit with a pocket watch.

This was a pretty good thriller.

Comic book writer ecomes her own hero

[yeodawg · 21 October 2011]

Courtney COX, (does a nude scene you get to see her nubs) plays a comic book writer (every fan-boys wet dream) who gets raped. She reports it to the police, and a Sipowicz style detective mocks her for being raped before. So she packs up her self up and moves out to a secluded trailer in the desert. She's immediately set upon by the village idiot. He gets chased away by the deputy who while protecting her seduces her. As things don't sync-up with the deputy she wonders who's really stalking her the Deputy or town fool. All of which gets written into her comic book. A while ago I watched "DOGVILLE" where Nicole KIDMAN is raped over and over by the townsfolk. Those who can't get a piece of KIDMAN she has to drag around on a heavy metal stockade. That's what this film should've been this joyless kind of thrilling movie missed on so many levels. It's not an empowering woman movie where she finds the strength through her character and ordeal to go on. Its not a don't judge a book by the cover as the cops the criminal and the criminal the hero. Its just goes no-where does nothing and you like just bend her over already. Since you're not gonna do anything meaningful, or better with the assembled cast mise well turn it into a sexploitation film.