Val Kilmer is the type of actor who has been fairly resilient during his 14-year film career. Despite his reputation of being difficult to work with, the New Mexico native has bounced back from his few flops (Real McCoy, Ghost and the Darkness ) to have huge hits (Top Gun, Heat, Batman Forever ) and some fairly memorable roles (The Doors, True Romance ).
After the debacle of Island of Dr Moreau, a role Kilmer said he accepted so he could work with Marlon Brando, he came back strongly this year with a big hit in the film adaption of the 1960s television series The Saint. The movie grossed more than US$60 million (about HK$464 million) in North America alone and also spawned a top-selling soundtrack.
Thunderheart (Pearl, 9.30pm) is another of Kilmer's better efforts. As Ray Levoi, a young FBI agent with native-American Sioux roots, he is sent to South Dakota Indian reserve to help catch a killer because the bureau thinks his ethnic background might be an asset on the case. When he arrives at the Pine Ridge Reservation to find severe abuse of authority, the situation disgusts him but helps Levoi to discover a few things about himself in getting back in touch with his roots.
Graham Greene, the Indian character actor, is excellent in his role as the wily tribal police officer, as is Sam Sheppard as the Indian affairs veteran. The film is one of the few to truly depict the plight of native Americans.
Micro-organisms called 'pods' are taking over human bodies and obliterating all traces of personality and individuality in Invasion of The Body Snatchers (World, 9.30pm) and only health inspector Donald Sutherland can stop them.
As Matthew Bennell, Sutherland knows his only defence against this invisible menace is sleepless vigilance or he too will become another member of the walking dead.
Leonard Nimoy is over-the-top as Dr David Kibner, a character obviously based on the late Dr Carl Sagan. A young Jeff Goldblum can also be seen in this film which has some interesting plot turns from the 1956 original.