That engaging actor William Devane is handed a difficult assignment in this thriller whose climactic violence rivals that of Taxi Driver and Reservoir Dogs. It comes as no surprise that it was co-written by Taxi Driver's author Paul Schrader. Devane plays a Vietnam veteran who considers he died the day he was captured. When he returns to find his wife in love with another, his reaction is about an unemotional as one of his VietCong torturers - except that he wants to keep his son. Enter four criminals after the collection of silver dollars Devane was given on his homecoming - and cue a typical Schrader bloodbath. Devane does his best with an underwritten role, as does Tommy Lee Jones as his equally withdrawn buddy. But the film is fuzzily photographed, sags a bit in the middle and has too much stuff that's incidental to the main theme. The music, including a lilting theme song, is very good. And yes, film buffs, Devane's character name is exactly the same as the villain played by Bruce Payne in the more recent Passenger 57.


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