Metro (1997) * * *

Directed by:  Thomas Carter

Starring:  Eddie Murphy, Carmen Ejogo, Michael Rappaport, Michael Wincott, Paul Ben-Victor

What happened to Eddie Murphy?    He's one of the most talented and funniest of comedians, yet hasn't made a movie near worthy of his talent in nearly 15 years.    (Yes, I'm even counting Dreamgirls and I'm not counting Shrek and Shrek 2).     But prior to his current drought, he stretched himself starring in movies like Metro, a formula action thriller made fresh by Murphy's energy.    He jumps headlong into it and makes Metro work.

Murphy is Scott Roper, a San Francisco police hostage negotiator who is smart, seasoned, and keeps his cool.     One robbery involving millions of dollars in jewels proves to be especially tricky, since the thief, Mike Korda (Wincott), doesn't have any wish to negotiate.    Roper asks Korda for a hostage in good faith, Korda hands him a package with a severed ear from one of the hostages.    Korda's escape leads to an extended chase sequence involving Roper, Korda, a trolley, and numerous smashed up cars.    That is only the setup for a cat-and-mouse game between Korda and Roper.    Oh, and Korda also killed Roper's partner earlier in the film.   

Korda is played by Michael Wincott, an actor who has specialized in portraying nasty villains over the years.   I've seen him in Talk Radio, Robin Hood: Prince Of Theives, The Three Musketeers, The Crow, and Along Came A Spider.     Each time, he was creepily effective.     He's been in non-creepy roles in films like The Doors, but even then I was halfway expecting him to start offing people.     I don't see as much of him these days, however, and it's a shame.

Murphy's role isn't played for laughs much, but he is still very much enjoying himself while being convincing as an action star.    His girlfriend Ronnie (Ejogo) is around long enough to be kidnapped by Korda and held for ransom in a particularly inventive way.     Despite her thankless role, she is enchanting, even though we know her primary function is to be in peril so Roper can save her.   

Perhaps Eddie Murphy should've hired himself out for movies like Metro instead of family-friendly films which all but muted him.     He is an actor who works better with an edge.     In movies like A Thousand Words, The Haunted Mansion, Daddy Day Care, Norbit, etc., he is caught in dull, nowhere roles which don't allow him to be funny.     Metro proves that Murphy, even in a formula action picture, still possesses the stuff that made him one of the biggest box-office draws of all time.