While Bruce Willis was undoubtedly one of the most prolific action stars of the ’90s, his heyday in Hollywood wasn’t immune to misses. Amid the success of classics like Pulp Fiction, the Die Hard sequels, and The Fifth Element, he also headlined a plethora of lukewarm releases, including Color of Night and Hudson Hawk.
Interestingly, one of his forgettable and panned thrillers from that period, Striking Distance, has now experienced a resurgence on Netflix over three decades after its initial release. As of April 10, it’s the No. 1 movie on Netflix’s Top 10 worldwide despite not being available to stream on Netflix in the US (via Flix Patrol).
MovieStriking DistanceDirectorRowdy HerringtonCastBruce Willis, Sarah Jessica Parker, Dennis Farina, Andre BraugherTomatometer | Popcornmeter (as of April 10)20% | 35%Box Office Worldwide (as of April 10)$77 million (worldwide, as per Variety, October 17, 1994 report)
Was Striking Distance a Financial Disaster?
Made on an estimated budget of $30 million, the movie opened to $8.7 million on the domestic front before witnessing major drops in the following weekends. By the end of its theatrical run, the movie had only secured $24 million domestically (via Box Office Mojo).
But despite its disappointing domestic run, Striking Distance did end up making a sizeable splash overseas. According to a January 1994 report from Variety, the movie scored $830K from its opening in Japan, and its overall international gross boosted its worldwide total to a reported $77 million. While far from a major hit, it’s safe to assume this respectable worldwide total would’ve saved the movie from being an absolute bomb.
However, the poor word of mouth, coupled with the critical panning, hindered its post-theatrical run. And considering Willis would shortly star in classics like Quentin Tarantino‘s Pulp Fiction and The Fifth Element, Striking Distance gradually faded into obscurity. This makes its resurgence as a streaming success, decades after the movie’s disappointing reception, all the more surprising.
Inside the Chaotic Production of Bruce Willis’ Forgotten Thriller
A still from Striking Distance | Credit: Columbia Pictures
On paper, it’s easy to see why the thriller failed to resonate with critics and audiences upon release, as instead of offering something fresh, the thriller came across as clichéd and uninspired, especially in a decade filled with genre-bending classics.
This movie also had the curse of a troubled production, much of which reportedly stemmed from Bruce Willis, who was reportedly calling the shots by rewriting scenes and pushing for them to be directed his way. The movie’s poor test screenings were also linked to these reported changes, with crew members reportedly calling the actor Orson Willis because of his demeanor (via TV Tropes).
While the negative screenings prompted reshoots, it was Willis’s own script rewrites that reportedly caused the poor test screenings in the first place. Director Rowdy Herrington then pushed for reshoots to make the film sexier and more action-focused, something that Willis resisted, though he still blamed the director for the poor results, despite Herrington defending Willis publicly.
In the end, the rewrites, and even a last-minute title change to Striking Distance, which for most of its production was called Three Rivers, weren’t enough to salvage this release.
Share your thoughts on this forgotten thriller below!
Striking Distance is currently available to rent on Apple TV (USA)
This post belongs to FandomWire and first appeared on FandomWire
