SPOILERS
The copy to Bad Day was obvious though I initially kept wondering about the equivalent of Spencer Tracy's bad arm. Commenters also threw in First Blood, but I think the second connection is the Burt Reynolds movie Malone. In First Blood, the sheriff was the instigator. Malone features the right wing businessperson with delusions of grandeur buying up the town and creating an army. The jail scene where Cole recounts his investigation of Kilmer's past and recruiting pitch is more Malone. In Bad Day, Sturges made Tracy a complete mystery. For the final scene, the source looked closer to Magnificent Seven ending than anything in the previous two homages. Some prior movie must have the book connection, but I cannot recall it. My guess is Watership Down gives you an idea of the violence ahead.
Val Kilmer is no Spencer Tracy or even Burt Reynolds in this movie. Gary Cole is no Robert Ryan or Cliff Robertson. Jennifer Esposito is no Anne Francis or even Cynthia Gibb from the Malone movie. The henchman is no Lee Marvin or Ernest Borgnine. The director is no John Sturges. If you don't try to make a good movie, why copy a great movie down to so many details? That's just laziness.
The copy to Bad Day was obvious though I initially kept wondering about the equivalent of Spencer Tracy's bad arm. Commenters also threw in First Blood, but I think the second connection is the Burt Reynolds movie Malone. In First Blood, the sheriff was the instigator. Malone features the right wing businessperson with delusions of grandeur buying up the town and creating an army. The jail scene where Cole recounts his investigation of Kilmer's past and recruiting pitch is more Malone. In Bad Day, Sturges made Tracy a complete mystery. For the final scene, the source looked closer to Magnificent Seven ending than anything in the previous two homages. Some prior movie must have the book connection, but I cannot recall it. My guess is Watership Down gives you an idea of the violence ahead.
Val Kilmer is no Spencer Tracy or even Burt Reynolds in this movie. Gary Cole is no Robert Ryan or Cliff Robertson. Jennifer Esposito is no Anne Francis or even Cynthia Gibb from the Malone movie. The henchman is no Lee Marvin or Ernest Borgnine. The director is no John Sturges. If you don't try to make a good movie, why copy a great movie down to so many details? That's just laziness.