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The First Power (1990)

Rate: 4
Viewed: 9/14, 4/20

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9/14: The story of The First Power is basic: chase the bad guy for a long while, somehow catch him, and finally defeat him at the end just because the movie has run out of time.

It's not one chase but also a series of them in the same pattern. In between is a lot of spiritual hokum which involves a great deal of imagery manipulation. After a while, it becomes annoying, and all I can ask for is an early end. The believability factor is low, especially when a third-rate psychic owns a multimillion-dollar condo with a fantastic view of Los Angeles.

Lou Diamond Phillips' character, who sports expensive designer clothes for a cop, is forceful and misogynistic, so it's impossible to like him. Plus, he looks uncool when he's chain-smokes. Tracy Griffith is pretty but discardable. Jeff Kober, who plays Channing, has Charles Bronson looks but with a smoother facial skin. However, it doesn't help whenever his stunt double is shown doing the heavy-duty work, most especially during the breakout scene from the gas chamber.

All in all, if you hate supernatural policiers, you shouldn't bother with The First Power.

4/20: The First Power is a good example of a budding big-name actor failing the star power test.

Lou Diamond Phillips was good during the 80's, but when 1990 rolled around, he didn't have it anymore, having become mediocre in the process. Therefore, he fell off the map until making a nice but small comeback in Courage Under Fire. That being said, lack of star power is evident why Lou Diamond Phillips couldn't carry The First Power.

The other trouble is that it goes in circles endlessly until the last ten minutes. The supernatural stuff, while it seems cool at first, is ridiculous because what exactly are the rules? When is Patrick "See You Around, Buddy Boy" Channing a spirit, and when does he become tangible? Won't it be a good idea for him to stay in spirit the whole time just to be safe?

Once in a while, I'm thrown off by the little things such as Lou Diamond Phillips' expensive sartorial tastes and the psychic's multimillion-dollar condo that overlooks the entire city of Los Angeles. So, her gig must pay very well, huh? By the way, the actress, Tracy Griffith, is Melanie's half-sister although she's not related to Tippi Hedren.

All in all, RIP Lou Diamond Phillips who went from A-list to B films to straight-to-video crap.