ReveredasoneofthegreatestcultfilmsofalltimeIrecentlysawitandmostofmyexpectationsweremet.StevenRailsbackplaysacharacternamedCameron.AformerVietnamveteranandfugitiveonthelam.Atthebeginingofthefilmweseehimbeingpursuedbythepoliceafterheisspottedinarestaurant.CameronwhilebeingchasedaccidentallystumblesontoamoviesetwhereaWorldWarIepicisbeingshot.AfteralmostbeingkilledbyastuntmanonabridgebyacarCameronpicksupanobjectandthrowsitatthewindshieldofthevehiclecausingittoswerveoffthebridgeandfallintoanearbyriver.AhelicoptersuddenlydescendsinfrontofCameron.InsideitarethefilmcrewdocumentingthebridgescenewithitsdirectorEliCross(PeterOToole)starringatCameronandwhathashappened.Cameronfleesfromthesceneasthehelicoptersoarsaway.EventuallyEliCrossmeetsupwithCameronandconvinceshimtoreplacethestuntmanorCrosswillturnhimintothepolice.Cameronhaslittlechoice.Thusbeginsthemaincharactersharrowingjourney.TheStuntManisacomplexandmultilayeredfilm.Itrequiresmultipleviewingsinordertocatchallofthesubtletiesandnuances.AsthefilmprogressesweseeCameronplacedintovariousstuntscenes,eachonemoredangerousthanthelast.IsEliCrosstryingtokillhim?Thefilmisafascinatingbattleofpsychologicalmindgames.Cameronsperceptionofrealitybecomesskewedwiththefantasyworldoffilmmakingashebecomeslessabletodistinguishuntilthefinalframe.Wetheviewerarealsoconstantlyconfusedasthefilmmakesmanyunpredictabletwistsandturnswithitsconvolutedplot.PeterOTooleisperfectastheflamboyant,megalomanicalfilmmaker.Nooneelsecouldtotherolejusticeandbringthatmuchclasstothepart.BarbaraHersheyisalsogoodastheleadactressofEliCrossfilmwhobecomesromanticallyinvolvedwithCameron.Ihavemanyfavoritescenesfromthemovie.EspeciallythecrashcourseinstuntworkCameronisgivenbytheleadstuntmanplayedbyChuckBail,areallifeformerstuntman.DirectorRushhasseamlesslybalancedpathoswithhumortocreateauniquefilmofepicproportions.Itisafilmthattheviewermustdisciplineoneselfinordertowatch.....butwhatapayoff.