Why “Hudson Hawk” Is the Bruce Williest Bruce Willis Movie

Why “Hudson Hawk” is a Cult Classic

When “Hudson Hawk” was released in 1991, it was met with dismal box office numbers and a library’s worth of bad press. But how hated was it really?

A good indicator of just where Bruce Willis’ dream project sat in the culture can be found in a review from Stephen Hunter, then a film critic for the Baltimore Sun.

The Review

“Has any movie in recent history been so savaged so quickly? Across America, critics high and low, left and right, pedant and genius, plot-synopsizer and gestalt-decoder, agree on one thing: this sucker stinks. That leaves two of us — myself and a critic in a city 40 miles to the south — who dared to like the film,” Hunter wrote. “How could I like ‘Hudson Hawk’ so much? It’s easy. When I sat down in the theater I started to laugh and I laughed for two hours. So sue me.”

Despite the negative reviews, “Hudson Hawk” has become a cult classic in recent years, earning retrospective praises for being a one-of-a-kind cinematic left hook. It may be a vanity project, but it’s a vanity project only Willis could make.

The Plot

Willis stars as Eddie Hawkins, a legendary cat burglar fresh out of prison who just wants a cappuccino. He almost immediately finds himself running from security guards and secret agents with his pal Tommy Five-Tone (Aiello) and trying to save the world … or something like that.

The movie never takes its plot all that seriously, so viewers are advised not to either.

The Humor

“Hudson Hawk” breaks the fourth wall and includes humor that had some critics scratching their heads. They couldn’t figure out what Willis was doing as Caruso’s mute Kit Kat repeatedly pops up and characters survive explosive situations, Looney Tunes-style.

The height of the film comes early when Willis and Aiello perform Bing Crosby’s “Swinging on a Star” as they pull off a heist, using the song to time the robbery. It’s clever, sharp, charming and unique. It’s the longest stretch of film where it feels everyone is aiming for, and hitting the exact same target.

The Legacy

There are a number of incredible works that highlight Willis’ talent, but none show the artist clearer than “Hudson Hawk.” There are still explosions and Willis is sarcastic as ever, but this is also arguably when the actor had the most creative control in his career.

He decided to pour all of his juice into a madhouse production based on an insane idea two starving artists concocted while Hollywood was just a dream.

“Hudson Hawk” is the Bruce Williest Bruce Willis movie, and in a world where he’ll never grace the screen again, that’s something to appreciate more and more.

NOTE: You can learn more about frontotemporal degeneration at The Association for Frontotemporal Degeneration.

About the Author: Zachary Leeman is the author of the novel “Nigh” from publisher Gilded Masque and has covered politics and culture for LifeZette, Mediaite, and others.