"Broken Arrow" is the term used to describe a nuclear device that has been lost. In this movie, two nuclear missiles are stolen by rogue US pilot Deakins, but hot on his trail is his co-pilot Hale and a Park Ranger, Terry. The action takes place in Utah's canyon country; a high stakes game of cat and mouse.
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Broken Arrow Ratings & Reviews
- RichardDecember 6, 2025I first saw this one on TV back in the day and it’s exactly the kind of ’90s action flick that defined the era. John Woo brings his trademark slowmo shootouts and explosions, while John Travolta and Christian Slater chew through canyon country with nuclear warheads in tow. Travolta is in full villain mode, smirking, strutting and delivering one‑liners with gleeful menace, while Slater plays the straight laced hero who always seems to have a quip ready. Samantha Mathis adds heart as the park ranger caught in the chaos and Hans Zimmer’s score gives the film its iconic pulse. Watching it on TV meant commercials cutting into the action, but somehow that only added to the nostalgia, the kind of movie you’d stumble across on a Saturday night and stick with until the end. The plot is pure pulp: stolen nukes, desert chases, helicopters, trains and enough explosions to keep Woo’s reputation intact. It doesn’t try to be clever, it just delivers big sequences tied together with campy charm. A quintessential ’90s action ride. On TV it was daft fun, but Travolta’s villainy and Zimmer’s music made it unforgettable. A cult favorite that knows exactly what kind of movie it is.
- Ray HopkinFebruary 13, 2025So daft, but so much fun. Travolta doing his mad bad guy schtick, Slater in his action mode phase, Woo doing his slow-mo shooting, explosions upon explosions and cheesy dialogue (although no doves...), what's not to love! Oh, and Zimmer's score is brilliant!
- GBWestNovember 25, 2025Worth a watch. Characters, action, story, humor, and music combine to make this film a GOAT of a good time. This film has all that and influence on one of Hollywood's biggest film franchises to Scream about. Yes that one. Characters Casting for this film could not have been better. You have John Travolta, Christian Slater, Samantha Mathis and a host of other actors as well as other emerging actors like Howie Long. All of them have a different style that is worth their character's weight in gold. Travolta is a scathing villainous, does everything according to plan, militaristic bad guy leader with a sense of dark humor. Slater is his quintessential hero that he plays so well, and it is like second nature to his character to come up with a funny line or two when trying to calm the films female lead. Samantha Mathis, the park ranger that is caught up in the middle of the craziness by coincidence and timing. Ultimately, she is a big part of the hero dynamic of this film. You have Howie Long as a military grunt who's not the brightest character, and still he knows what he's doing. Then there is Bob Guntan, playing the money man for the bad guys, the one who is paying for Travolta's success in escaping with nuclear warheads. The character is very antsy and Guntan plays well to the characters traits. Frank Whaley plays an analyst who not only ends up being the smartest one in the room, he delivers the films line that became the trailers tag line as he side kicks alongside Kurtwood Smith. Action The action in this film is big and fueled by big sequences while only being a way to tie together or accent elements of the story. That's what action should do. Sure an action can tell a story, however it should be used to tell and not be a supplement to the story. Story Okay, there is no big aha moment in the film, and that's okay, and the films story is summed up in the films opening. How to escape a rope-a-dope. Yes the film is written from a boxing metaphor, and carried so well by its characters, actions and music. Music The music of Broken Arrow is iconic enough in its modern western appeal that it is unmistakable from other films and compliments the characters, actions and story. What's more, if you pay attention to Deputy Dewey's music in Scream you will find the music of Broken Arrow setting the stage for David Arquette's character. In conclusion I think this is a great film that I enjoy every time I watch it, and I think you will too.
Broken Arrow Trivia
Broken Arrow was released on February 9, 1996.
Broken Arrow was directed by John Woo.
Broken Arrow has a runtime of 1 hr 48 min.
Broken Arrow was produced by Mark Gordon, Bill Badalato, Terence Chang.
The key characters in Broken Arrow are Vic Deakins (John Travolta), Riley Hale (Christian Slater), Terry Carmichael (Samantha Mathis).
Broken Arrow is rated R.
Broken Arrow is an Action, Adventure, Thriller film.
Broken Arrow has an audience rating of 4.4 out of 10.