No Way Out

An 80s nostalgia nugget you may have forgotten

No Way Out (1987)

Amazon Prime; 3 / 5

If you’re a sucker for 1980s nostalgia (and it’s okay if you are), it’s worth taking a second to think about what it is you’re being nostalgic about. There are different pieces of the 80s ethos that appeal to different people, and one of the big ones is the “taut political thriller” of the late Cold War period. If you’re a fan of such fare, you may have seen this but forgotten it (it’s that kind of Friday-night throwaway entertainment). Whichever way, it’s worth being a stop on your tour of the cinema of yesteryear.  

As a piece of late Cold War storytelling, it’s got all the good stuff. There’s nascent computer technology (including mainframes and monochrome monitors, 5-inch floppies, and green-bar tractor-feed printer paper) capable of “programming” feats actually not possible in 1987. There’s “inside the Pentagon” drama involving submarine projects, interagency turf wars, and criminal coverup at the highest levels (and a well executed twist ending). There’s Kevin Costner looking super-sharp in Navy whites. There’s Gene Hackman aging poorly and yelling at people. There’s Sean Young getting gratuitously naked (the movie effectively opens with a sex scene in the back of a limo).  This is a very 80s movie (which is itself striking, given that it’s based on a novel from the 40s). 

If you’re looking to scratch the kind of don’t-trust-the-government itch that could be otherwise scratched by Three Days of the Condor, Internal Affairs, or The Star Chamber, this movie can go on your watchlist just fine. However, as a movie from the 80s (rather than of the 80s–there’s a difference) that comes with some caveats. It’s got a synth soundtrack that’s barely trying. 80s evening gown fashion gets unwittingly lampooned. A character’s homosexuality gets treated in a very 80s way which would probably not fly if this movie were being made today. It takes longer than it probably should to get the real story going (though it rewards your patience). Overall, though, if you’re looking for an 80s throwback that isn’t for kids, you could do worse.  

3 stars of 5: It’s throwback fun, but only about once every 30 years.