HARD RAIN (DVD)(WS/DOLBY DIGITAL ENG 5.1 SURR/SPAN SUB-NLA DVD

Hard Rain
A natural disaster breeds man-made treachery in this suspense thriller. Severe flooding threatens an Indiana town after a massive rainstorm taxes dams to the breaking point. As part of an emergency evacuation effort, armored car driver Tom (Christian Slater) and his uncle Charlie (Edward Asner) are recruited to collect cash from the town's banks and drive it to safety. However, a gang of thieves led by Jim (Morgan Freeman) plan to lay siege to the truck and steal the $3 million on board. After Jim attempts to ambush the truck, Tom hides the cash and reports the attempted theft to the local sheriff (Randy Quaid). However, the sheriff's lack of honesty soon becomes apparent; he puts Tom in a lockup and sets out to take the money for himself. As the flood waters rise, Tom has to escape from jail if he is to save both the townspeople's savings and his own life. Meanwhile, Jim and the sheriff are locked in a race to see who can find the $3 million first. Minnie Driver, Richard A. Dysart, and Betty White highlight Hard Rain's supporting cast. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

Cast Morgan Freeman as Jim Christian Slater as Tom Randy Quaid as Sheriff Minnie Driver as Karen Ed Asner as Charlie Richard Dysart as Henry Betty White as Doreen Mark Rolston as Wayne Peter Murnik as Phil Michael A. Goorjian as Kenny Dann Florek as Mr. Mehlor Ricky Harris as Ray Wayne Duvall as Hank

Crew Richard Mays - Art Director David F. Klassen - Supervising Art Director Randi Hiller - Casting Risa Bramon Garcia - Casting Christian Slater - Co-producer Matt Earl Beesley - First Assistant Director Mikael Salomon - Director Ken Arlidge - Second Unit Director Paul Hirsch - Editor Allison Lyon Segan - Executive Producer Christopher Young - Composer (Music Score) J. Michael Riva - Production Designer Peter Menzies, Jr. - Cinematographer Ian Bryce - Producer Gary Levinsohn - Producer Mark Gordon - Producer Charisse Cardenas - Set Designer Hugo Santiago - Set Designer Al Hobbs - Set Designer 4ward - Special Effects Cinesite - Special Effects Michael E. Burke - Special Effects Lee Orloff - Sound/Sound Designer Robert "Bobby Z" Zajonc - Stunts John Frazier - Special Effects Supervisor Graham Yost - Screenwriter Ken Arlidge - Second Unit Director Of Photography

Hard Rain
A fast-moving, entertaining, basically mindless, heist film from the writer of Speed (1994), the film is certainly among the most water-logged features in history. The story, which asks the audience to buy the notion that a team of thieves would go ahead with the heist of an armored car even after rising floodwaters in a small Indiana town have washed away their Plan A, is never remotely believable. Although the filmmakers occasionally drop hints that they intend this as satire, the film's tone is so uneven that it's impossible to know exactly what they had in mind. Nevertheless, the excellent cast -- led by Morgan Freeman, as the head thief, and including Christian Slater, Ed Asner, and Minnie Driver -- is so compelling that the film's essential inanity is, at times, forgotten. Randy Quaid also turns in a hilarious performance as a rather unusual sheriff. In a film like this, the water stunts are the main attraction, and what with the speedboats and jet-skis perpetually hurtling across the screen, it doesn't disappoint on this score. ~ Michael Costello, All Movie Guide
 

(no awards)

General Specifications: Language Options: English, French Subtitle Options: English, Spanish Sound Processing: 5.1: 5 full-range channels. Includes 3 for the front speakers, 2 surround channels for rear speakers, & 1 low-frequency effects (LFE) channel to carry deep bass effects 2: PCM stereo Additional Features: Widescreen version Dolby Digital: English 5.1 Surround Sound; English Dolby Surround; French Dolby Surround Spanish subtitles English captions Interactive menus Scene selection Theatrical trailer MPAA Rating: R DVD Discs Included: 1 DVD Sides: 1 DVD DVD Region Code: 1 Content Length: 96 min Part of Series: Widescreen Collection   DVD Chapters: Side #1 -- 0. Scene Selection 1. Main Titles [3:18] 2. Protecting the Town [1:36] 3. Three Million Dollars [2:13] 4. Welcome to Huntingburg [1:17] 5. Henry and Doreen [3:04] 6. The Truck Heist [1:27] 7. The Portman Crypt [2:35] 8. Huntingburg Middle School: Jet Ski Chase [1:02] 9. Not a Looter [3:36] 10. Locked Up [6:36] 11. High School Car [:55] 12. Get Out of the Water [3:57] 13. Kenny Dies [3:14] 14. Back to the Truck [5:23] 15. Let Them Go [2:09] 16. Charlie Called Us [2:07] 17. The Cemetery/Keeping the Money [2:47] 18. Belize [2:17] 19. Wayne Kidnaps Karen [1:30] 20. Attacking the Church [:29] 21. Where's Karen? [2:52] 22. The Dam! [1:31] 23. Boyd Street [3:01] 24. Jim's Redemption, "I Came for the money" [8:17] 25. The State Police Arrives [1:03] 26. End Credits [2:07]