Límite: 48 horas

I regard 48 Hrs as an action adventure with a comedic debut performance by the then 21 years old, Eddie Murphy.

Hard nosed, hard drinking cop Jack Cates (Nick Nolte) pulls a convicted bank robber Reggie Hammond (Eddie Murphy) from prison on a forged 48 hours pass to help him capture Hammond's old partner, Albert Ganz (James Remar) who killed Cates fellow cop.

Ganz himself escaped from prison with the help of native, Billy Bear and both go on a killing rampage as they look for the half a million dollars that went missing after one of their robberies.

Reggie knows where the money is but wants to stay one step ahead of Cates. Both distrust each other but need to work together to catch Ganz.

Walter Hill made a tough thriller with plenty of violence and cursing but imbued it with the humour of Murphy fresh from Saturday Night Live. Without his presence this would just be a forgotten police action film from the 1980s. He owns that scene when he pretends to be a cop at a country & western dive bar as he shakes down the patron.

Murphy elevates the film with the help of some off beat support by Remar and David Patrick Kelly. Nolte plays off well with the street smart, lean and hungry Murphy as the gruff cop who drinks too much and is too flabby.

In the sequel, Another 48 Hours, eight years later it was Murphy who would be flabby and out of shape going against a leaner, meaner Nolte.

Violent criminal Ganz escapes from prison, and is looking for a money stash. He leaves a trail of dead people. Jack Cates (Nick Nolte) survives the shootout. He grabs Ganz acquaintance Reggie Hammond (Eddie Murphy) from prison for 48 hours leave to help track down the killer.

This is gritty rough movie from Walter Hill. The language is rough. It's not simply swearing. It is viciously vile. Nick Nolte calls Eddie Murphy a lot of racist language without batting an eye. The people are all good and proper low lifes. Even the gun shoots sound meaner. This movie runs on the combustible chemistry between Nick Nolte and Eddie Murphy. Eddie Murphy has a bit of fun once in awhile, and Nolte is at his growling best. This is also notable for Eddie Murphy's movie debut.

It's the chemistry between Nolte and Murphy that makes this work, plus the fact that both men really attempt to 'get into the skin' of their character, something mostly ignored in other examples of this genre. Director Hill knows he's got a great team in front of the camera, and all that remains is for him to incorporate some spectacular action sequences around them. This he does competently. That one-two punch is what gives the movie its fireworks.

The banter and situations concerning the characters are also gleefully un-PC. It'd be interesting to see what a studio and director would make of the same premise in these 'enlightened' times. Murphy's comic stage persona is less restrained here than it would be in later films, and the results are often shamefully funny.

Don't expect Shakespeare, there's far too much cursing and other unsavoury shenanigans going on for that; do expect a pacy and entertaining early example of the 'buddy thriller'.

Officer Jack Cates is assigned to catch a recently escaped convict. Tragedy ensues as he confronts his prey. Left with guilt and a botched reputation he grabs the desperate measure of seeking the help of jailbird Reggie Hammond. But there's a catch. And on the adventure goes of the two unlikely partners who can barely conceal their disdain for each other but develop a bond and friendship as they come closer to attaining their goal. The chemistry between Nick Nolte and Eddie Murphy is among the most memorable in all of film. Nolte's oafish and catankerous character and Murphy's smooth portrayal clash and make up in some of the funniest scenes and lines in all of filmdom. There's a rawness and awkwardness in some of the dialogues and scenes that give the film a ring of authenticity. One doesn't see these in movies anymore and cinema is all the poorer for it. The nostalgia factor is paramount as one views the fashion and mores bringing back memories of another time. One of the best Cop / Buddy films made, this is one that stays for good.

This is the one of the movies that kicked off the buddy cop formula. Technically, Nick Nolte's the only cop, but other films have tried to imitate the style by having a tough, cranky, by-the-book cop (Nolte's character) paired off with a loose, easygoing, unorthodox cop (like Murphy's character). Some of these "imitators" have failed miserably and even those that succeeded don't match up to "48 Hours."

I haven't seen the unedited version of this movie in over ten years (it plays on TV like 4 times every month), and even when I did catch it on TV, I caught it in bits and pieces. Now that I've seen it straight-through, in its uncut form, I can regard this as an overlooked classic. Watching Nolte as the gruff, chain-smoking Jack, I thought to myself, "He owns that part." Many actors have tried to take on that same role, but nobody plays it better than Nolte. And the same goes for Eddie Murphy. His talent has been taken for granted over the recent years, since his career has hit a major slump. And rightfully so. He should choose his roles much more wisely. How do you from doing such fun, memorable films as "48 Hours," "Coming to America" and "Trading Places" to doing "Showtime" and "I-Spy." This movie proves that Murphy can go leaps and bounds with his comic talent, if the script is well-written. The scene in the all-white, country-western bar, where Murphy shows off his skills as an interrogator, is a classic.

The film is directed by Walter Hill, who's great at directing action sequences. So the movie packs a punch in both the action and comedy department. Nolte and Murphy's chemistry is priceless, and the banter between them is sharp and hilarious. One of my favorite examples is when Murphy asks Nolte, "Can you tell me a bedtime story?" Nolte responds, "F**k you." "That's my favorite one." Of course, Murphy gets most of the credit for being the comic relief, and he is terrific in one of his best comic performances, but Nolte belts out just as many funny lines as him, though he's the official straight man. He never seems to say anything intentionally funny, but that's what's funny. He says things that are hilarious, but sounds dead serious about them. And of course, it's also hilarious to watch him react furiously to Murphy's taunts.

Those who haven't seen "48 Hours" should really check it out, because it's an action classic! Sure, the "Rush Hour" films are good, but Chris Tucker and Jackie Chan don't have close to the same magic as Nick Nolte and Eddie Murphy! THIS is how an action/comedy is made!!

My score: 9 (out of 10)