Ricochet



""I mean, there we were, both of us, at the beginning of our careers. And all of a sudden one of us took off, lit up the sky like a meteor! And why? Because he met the other.""

- Earl Talbot Blake

Ricochet is a thriller film from the year 1991.

Nick Styles (Denzel Washington) is a cop, who is studying to became a lawyer so that he can help his neighbourhood better. Earl Talbot Blake (John Lithgow) is a hitman, who is taking a job to make it in the big leagues. Chance puts these against each other, and Styles walks away as a hero to the career he has sought, and Blake is sent to prison with nothing. This leads to Blake becoming obsessed with Styles, and as he climbs the ladder of success, Blake follows every step plotting his revenge.

Years later, Styles has become the new District Attorney. Blake finally escapes from prison, and then starts a campaign to destroy his life.

Also notable for being set in the same universe as Die Hard.


 * Big Bad: Blake.
 * Big No: Blake lets out one when he thinks that Styles has killed himself, which would ruin his plans.
 * Climbing Climax: Styles lures Blake into the unfinished child center grounds for the climax., where they start climbing the thing while fighting.
 * The Dragon: Kim to Blake.
 * Evil Redhead: Blake.
 * Faking the Dead: After escaping from prison, Blake fakes his death.
 * Filth: After killing Farris, Blake plants child pornography on his belongings.
 * Frame-Up
 * Groin Attack: Blake kicks Chekowski's groin during the fight which happens when Blake becomes his cellmate.
 * Gunman with Three Names: Blake is always referred by his full name in media.
 * Hidden Weapons: Blake keeps a blade in his shoe.
 * Hostage Situation
 * Impaled with Extreme Prejudice: Blake falls from a tower and is impaled.
 * Improvised Armor: The combatants in the prison swordfight are given armor made of books and ducttape.
 * It's Personal
 * Mismatched Eyes: Blake's bad eye.
 * Non-Indicative Name: Ricochets don't come into play at all.
 * One Word Title
 * Pants-Positive Safety: Styles's hidden gun in his underwear.
 * Shared Universe: Gail Wallens from Die Hard appears, played by the same actress.
 * Super Window Jump: Blake performs one, which leads to his initial meeting with Styles.
 * Sword Fight: Aryan Bortherhood arranges a swordfight between Blake and Chekowski in prison.
 * Took a Level in Jerkass: Gail Wallens has become just as bad as her colleague Richard Thornburg.
 * Those Wacky Nazis: The Aryan Brotherhood, whom Blake makes a deal with to escape prison.
 * Artistic License Medicine: After Styles is rescued after being drugged and kidnapped by Blake, at the hospital he is informed in the ER that he has "VD" based on his bloodwork. This is wrong on sooo many levels: First, the only STDs that show up on bloodwork are syphillis and HIV. Second, these are based on the body's antibody response, so it takes a while to turn positive, not overnight as in this scenario. Thirdly, doctors only what tests are medically needed (or at least the ones they are sure they'll get paid for!)