Extreme Prejudice

Extreme Prejudice Information

Extreme Prejudice is an American action film originally released in 1987.

The film was directed by Walter Hill; it was written by John Milius, Fred Rexer and Deric Washburn (the latter collaborated with Michael Cimino on Silent Running and The Deer Hunter). Extreme Prejudice stars Nick Nolte and Powers Boothe as two former friends on opposing sides of the law forced to confrontation. The film is an homage, of sorts, to The Wild Bunch, a western directed by Sam Peckinpah and with whom Hill worked on The Getaway (1972 film). Both films end with a massive gun fight in a Mexican border town.

The title originates from "terminate with extreme prejudice", a phrase popularized by the 1979 film Apocalypse Now, also written by John Milius.

The character of Jack Benteen was loosely based on Joaquin Jackson, now a retired Texas Ranger. Nolte spent three weeks with Jackson learning the day to day activities of a Ranger. Nolte took what he learned and incorporated it into his character; the mannerisms and dress.

Plot

A teletype message flashes across the screen...

Master Sergeant Larry McRose, U.S. Army, Frankfurt, West Germany

Report to Zombie Unit, El Paso, Texas

At El Paso airport five U.S. Army sergeants meet up with Major Paul Hackett (Ironside), the leader of the Zombie Unit. The unit is composed of soldiers reported to be killed, and are on temporary assignment under Hackett for this mission.

Jack Benteen (Nolte) is a tough Texas Ranger, his best friend from high school is Cash Bailey (Booth), an American and former police informer who has crossed into Mexico and become a major drug trafficker. A D.E.A. agent and several soldiers from the clandestine U.S. Army unit show up in town, who are also tracking Cash Bailey. When the soldiers rob a local bank to get Bailey's money and a cash deposit box that contains accounts on the drug money he's deposited there, one of the soldiers is killed and two others are captured by Benteen and placed in the town Jail. Benteen is confronted by the D.E.A agent who turns out to be their commanding officer and reveals their true mission to him to obtain their release. Now knowing the full story, Benteen joins with the soldiers and crosses the border into Mexico to track down Bailey and end his drug running. At Bailey's Hacienda Benteen's girlfriend Sarita (Alonzo), who was once Bailey's girlfriend, has crossed into Mexico to join him after arguing with Benteen.

At a huge Independence Day festival Benteen confronts Bailey while the soldiers attack Bailey's private army. McRose witnesses Hackett shooting Bailey's accountant and at the same time revealing himself to be Bailey's partner. The town erupts into a huge gunfight and at the end of the movie few but Benteen and Sarita survive, to ride off into the sunset together.

Cast

Nick Nolte as Ranger Jack Benteen
Powers Boothe as Cash Bailey
Michael Ironside as Major Paul Hackett
María Conchita Alonso as Sarita Cisneros
Rip Torn as Sheriff Hank Pearson
Clancy Brown as Master Sergeant Larry McRose
William Forsythe as Sergeant 1st Class Buckman Atwater
Matt Mulhern as Staff Sergeant Declan Patrick Coker
Larry B. Scott as Sergeant 1st Class Charles Biddle
Dan Tullis, Jr. as Sergeant 1st Class Luther Fry

Production

The film was announced for production back in 1976 with Milius to direct from his own script. However Milius did Big Wednesday instead.

Reception

The movie received positive reviews.

Box office

Extreme Prejudice, debuted with $3.5 million at 1,071 screens its first weekend.

Availability

The film was released on videocassette in the United States in 1987 by International Video Entertainment and again in 1989 by the same company. In 1991, the film was released again on VHS by Avid Home Entertainment, but in the EP (low quality) Mode. In 2001, Artisan Entertainment finally released the film onto DVD, but in pan and scan and without any bonus features. A DVD in the United Kingdom shows the film in widescreen and also contains the theatrical trailer as well as the teaser trailer.

The U.S. DVD has been criticized for its low quality transfer and lack of features.