Metro is an action/suspense film from the year 1997.
Scott Roper (Eddie Murphy) is a San Francisco police negotiator with a gambling addiction and an ailing relationship with his ex-girlfriend Veronica. He becomes personally involved with a dangerous criminal Michael Korda (Michael Wincott) when his friend Sam is killed by him. He is also saddled with new partner Kevin McCall, whom he is supposed coax into a new police negotiator.
Has nothing to do with the Russian novel/video game franchise of the same name.
Examples in this film:
- Ax-Crazy: Mike Korda is ready to kill anyone who's in his way to become rich.
- Battle in the Rain: Scott's fight with Clarence outside Veronica's apartment happens during rain.
- Car Chase: With San Francisco flavoured jumps and a runaway trolley too!
- Chekhov's Skill: McCall's lip-reading, which he puts to use during the supposed hostage-exchange in the climax.
- Cowboy Cop: After being told by his captain that he can’t be on the case because of conflicts of interests in due to his friendship with Sam, Scott being Scott ignores his commands and investigates the case himself. He and McCall also tag team alone to take down Korda for good after he kidnaps Ronnie.
- Crazy-Prepared: Not overly so, but in the climactic chase at the end, Roper loses his gun. When he catches up to McCall, who used to be with SWAT, he asks if McCall has a backup gun. When Kevin immediately hands one over, Scott mutters, "God bless SWAT."
- Even Evil Has Loved Ones: Seems like Korda cares for Clarence despite berating him all the time.
- Evil Sounds Deep: Korda. He's played by Michael Wincott.
- Exploding Barrels: Korda dies when his truck drive into some, causing a huge explosion.
- Finger in the Mail: As if Korda hadn't demosntrated how violently insane he is already, in one scene he takes a jewelry store and everybody in it hostage and Scott approaches him with the typical "I will follow your demands but I need to make sure the hostages are safe" routine. Korda hands Scott a handkerchief that holds one of the hostage's ears and tells Scott "you may want to hurry up while the rest are still in one piece".
- I Have Your Wife: After escaping from prison, Korda kidnaps Veronica so that Scott will give him back his loot.
- Mirror Scare: Some Bait-and-Switch is pulled on the usual "character opens mirror cabinet, and someone pops up in the reflection when s/he closes it" trope (and they do it twice) before Clarence attacks Veronica in her apartment.
- Non-Indicative Name: There is nothing metro-related in this film.
- One-Word Title
- Outside Ride: When Korda tries to make his final escape with Scott's truck, Scott hitches a ride to stop him.
- Shoot Out the Lock: Scott shoots the lock to Veronica's apartment to get in faster to save her from Clarence's attack.
- Shout-Out: "Better feed the dog before we have a Cujo on our hands."
- Slashed Throat: Korda kills Scott's pal Sam by stabbing him several times and slashing his throat in an elevator.
- Take the Wheel: Done when Scott makes the jump for the runaway trolley from his car, and McCall has to take the wheel.
- Tropical Epilogue: The film ends with Scott Veronica relaxing in the beach.
- Would Hit a Girl: Korda has no qualms against brutalizing women as he hits an middle age woman in the head during the downtown heist, kidnaps another one of the women and ends up getting her hurt in a car crash and of course kidnaps Ronnie and threatens to kill her if Scott doesn’t give him his jewelry. Although at the end he tries to kill her and Scott anyway.
