I'm surprised this Robert Forster flick flew under my radar for as long as it did, because this movie is right up my alley. 80's cop action with more quotable lines then you can shake a stick at, I couldn't recommend this more. Robert Forster looks like he's having the time of his life, effortlessly firing out one-liners left and right. A memorable crossbow-wielding weirdo of a bad guy. Kanicki from Grease as a pimp named Cowboy. Not even 2 minutes in and you got a topless Teri Weigel earning her SAG card. What more could you ask for???

THE BANKER is a low budget and justly forgotten crime thriller that's randomly got a 4k remaster on Amazon Prime these days, just one of those oddball things that sometimes happens in film history. Seen today, it's an unremarkable and forgettable affair, with Robert Forster on autopilot duties as a detective hunting for the titular character, a maniac banker with a penchant for murdering prostitutes. Despite the sleazy plot it's a pedestrian affair with lots of talk that doesn't really go anywhere and a real lack of drive and suspense. The most amusing thing about it is seeing the OTT villain's performance so clearly modelled on the Michael Douglas character from WALL STREET.

Some "B" movies just deliver the goods, and "The Banker" is just such a film. Anyone who has seen any of the numerous "Most Dangerous Game" type clones, will definitely feel on familiar ground. The main difference being that the "hunter" uses as crossbow instead of a rifle, and the stalking takes place in the city instead of the wild countryside. One thing "The Banker" has going for it is a competent performance by Robert Forster. Shanna Reed and Jeff Conway seem pale by comparison, and Duncan Regehr over acts, while Richard Roundtree is mostly wasted in a no name type role. The film does generate some tension, and thankfully there are no car chase time fillers. Definitely worth a viewing by "B" movie admirers. - MERK