Ray Tango and Gabriel Cash are narcotics detectives who, while both being extremely successful, can't stand each other. Crime Lord Yves Perret, furious at the loss of income that Tango and Cash have caused him, frames the two for murder. Caught with the murder weapon at the scene of the crime, the two have no alibi. Thrown into prison with most of the criminals they helped convict, it appears that they are going to have to trust each other if they are to clear their names and catch the evil Perret. I adore this cheesy 80s buddy cop movie. There are plenty of aspects to love like: the hilarious comedy, the all-out action sequences and the overwhelming amount of fantastic quippy dialogue. The buddy cop sub-genre was clearly at its peak during the 1980s with multiple brilliant variants out there, such as Beverly Hills Cop (1984), Dragent (1987), Lethal Weapon (1987), Running Scared (1986) and many more. They are easily identifiable with the frequently played sax music alongside some epic synth riffs, crazy hairdos, muscular men, extreme action segments full of explosions and, of course, that sweet hysterical banter. This film takes the cake by combining them all into this perfect product of this genre. Both Tango and Cash are the best of the best but have different ways of doing things. Tango is more to the book in terms of how he works and acts whilst still kicking ass with his incredible shooting, whereas Cash is more carefree in regards to some of the rules, always cracking jokes and frequently showing love for his weapons. The two don't get along, however, since they both see themselves as the better cop, best seen in one of my favourite pieces of dialogue, Tango (directed at Cash): "I hear you're the second best cop in L.A." followed by Cash's reply, "That's funny, I hear the same thing about you." That snippet from one of their snarky remarks is only an inkling of the phenomenal banter these two share throughout this action-packed thriller. From the get-go, we are shown both of their skills as cops, from Tango's takedown of a cocaine shipment to Cash's survival from a hitman. They are great at their jobs, but taking down so many criminals and completing many busts is likely to cause problems in the long run, which finally comes back to bite them. The problem with having captured so many criminals, it makes figuring out who has set them up much harder, with there being so many possible candidates. Their main antagonist, Perret is a superb villain whose plan to get back at the two detectives was well thought out and came astronomically close to succeeding. After setting them up and getting them in court, Perret bribed different members to ensure their conviction, where they are then 'accidentally' sent to the wrong prison. Once in confinement, the movie becomes a prison break, which is full of cool sequences. We see the two battle inmates (including that guy with the huge chin, which is impressively big!), continue to throw about some jokes and escape in a very tense fashion leaving you on the edge of your seat. Upon their narrow, yet successful, escape the two go separate ways to find the people who put them away to get answers as to who is the mastermind behind it all. Upon collecting much information Cash looks for Tango through his sister, Kiki, who helps bring them together. Kiki's dance scene at the club where Cash finds her is a memorable one as they play the song 'Don't Go' by Yazoo, which is a fabulous tune and an iconic part of this film. The final confrontation to take on Perret is simply packed with explosive conflict as the two cops drive in their armoured prototype "RV from Hell". It is an instant highlight for me as they battle it out, all guns blazing, jumping through flames and crashing into stuff. The fight against Perret and his top goons was also exciting and dangerous with some clever tactics on display as they take them all on. Overall, I had an unbelievable blast with Tango & Cash. It's one of those movies that knows its audience and goes all out. Anyone looking for some witty humour, high-stakes action and an overwhelming dose of the 80s will be pleasantly content with this crime thriller. A rollercoaster of fun worth viewing.
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