This is what happens when an action film decides subtlety is somebody else's problem.
Nerdy Up North Podcast
The setup
Two of Los Angeles' most successful narcotics detectives are framed by crime boss Yves Perret. After being sent to prison alongside criminals they previously arrested, Tango and Cash escape and attempt to clear their names in increasingly ridiculous fashion.
Tango & Cash is one of my favourite action movies of the 80s. Sylvester Stallone and Kurt Russell in a buddy cop movie, what more could you want?
The setup is simple but works perfectly. You’ve got two cops who are complete opposites. Cash is the reckless, shoot first ask questions later kind of guy, while Tango is the sophisticated, by the book, well respected detective. Put them together and they somehow manage to bring out both the best and worst in each other.
What really makes the film work is the chemistry between Stallone and Russell. They bounce off each other perfectly, and I genuinely think Tango & Cash deserves to be talked about as one of the best buddy cop movies of all time. It has that perfect blend of action and comedy that so many films try to get right. It’s full of over the -top 80s cheese, ridiculous one liners and crazy moments that you’ll still be thinking about days later. It never takes itself too seriously, but when it needs to get darker it can.
The prison section is a perfect example. It’s much darker and more intense than a lot of the rest of the film, but it also leads to one of the coolest prison breaks I’ve seen in any movie. The film somehow manages to jump between comedy, violence and completely ridiculous action without ever really losing what makes it fun.
The only part I’ve never been a huge fan of is the weird futuristic truck they suddenly have during the final car chase. It feels like something from a completely different movie and always comes across as strangely thrown in just because somebody thought it looked cool.
I also think Tango & Cash is massively underrated. If this had been Stallone and Schwarzenegger together, I honestly think it would be remembered as one of the biggest action movies of that era. But at the same time, I’m glad it wasn’t. I think putting Stallone and Arnie together back then probably would have resulted in far too much ego and both of them fighting to be the biggest star in the film. Stallone and Russell don't have that problem. They complement each other instead of competing for the spotlight, and the movie is so much better for it.
It’s ridiculous, cheesy, funny, action packed and completely unapologetically 80s. For me, Tango & Cash is an underrated action classic and easily one of the best buddy cop movies ever made.
Verdict
Tango & Cash knows exactly what it is. It is loud, stupid, funny and enormously entertaining. As an example of unapologetic buddy-cop action, it is difficult to ask for much more.
