Out Of Bounds [1986]

November 11, 2026

Well, well, well, if it isn’t another forgotten gem from the eighties. Okay, okay, maybe not so much a forgotten gem but a misplaced quartz or an overlooked rhinestone. Out of Bounds is a charming and entertaining 80s action movie that’s going to keep throwing curveballs at you. It’s at the same time following a tried-and-tested actioner formula and adding bizarre twists to it. I mean, they might not have been considered bizarre back then, but they sure are now. The story follows Daryl Cage, a young farm boy from Iowa, who, after coming to Los Angeles to live with his brother, finds himself in a lot of trouble. You see, he accidentally picked up the wrong bag at the airport.

And now both the police and the criminals are after him. A classic tale of a mistaken identity, a guy in trouble, a girl who wants to help, and a magical bag that everyone wants. It came dangerously close to the “so bad that it’s good” territory, narrowly avoiding it with pure 80s moves. In the lead role, we have Anthony Michael Hall, who was trying to shake his nerdy typecasting. After all, his two most prominent roles were in Weird Science and National Lampoon’s Vacation. He was good, but Jeff Kober was much, much better as the bad guy. If you’re a fan of eighties and nineties cinema, you’ll probably remember him. He was also in Sons of Anarchy, The Walking Dead, and lots of other things. Hell, he’s still in the game, and in the fucking The Pit, no less!

Jenny Wright as Dizz was just too cute; no wonder she was dating Nicolas Cage at that time. Out of Bounds combines gritty scenes with casually funny dialogue. Oh, and I shouldn’t forget about the charmingly “intelligent” twists. How does that look, and does it actually work? Well, let me give you an example. After he picks him up at the airport, Cage’s brother is anxious to show him where he will be staying. Right next to his house, there’s this wall covered with green and lush vines. Only there’s a secret door in this wall that leads to a second, smaller guesthouse. Why would his brother build this? We don’t know, but it explains why the criminals won’t find Cage that night.

And I have to give you another tidbit. The next morning, Cage wakes up, looks for his brother in the house, and finds a gun. Right at that moment, a pool guy walks up to him, tries to subdue him, and Cage shoots him. Yes, the hero of our story shoots an innocent pool guy. You would think that in a movie like this, the hero wouldn’t do such a thing, but you would be wrong. I could go on, but I want you to discover these little things for yourself and enjoy them properly. I even feel bad for spoiling these two, but I just had to do it. So, you can count on a lot of illogical and very funny character decisions and contrived plot twists.

Out Of Bounds also features authentic nightclub scenes shot in actual, working nightclubs. If you’re a bit familiar with LA’s nightlife, you surely remember The Dirtbox and The Stardust Ballroom. Richard Tuggle, the director of the movie, wanted to create a realistic atmosphere. And I can tell you right now that he succeeded. Moreover, he captured that vibrant spirit of the eighties perfectly, complete with a pulsating soundtrack. Man, when that first guitar riff of The Smiths – How Soon Is Now hit the speakers, I got hard. We also have Siouxsie and the Banshees, led by Siouxsie Sioux, on stage, performing Cities in Dust. You can just feel the sweat, alcohol, cigarettes, weed, and cocaine in the air. Yummy.

Of course, this wouldn’t be a true eighties action movie without, well, action scenes. We’ve got a couple of great chase scenes, with the motorbike one being absolutely fantastic, and a couple of shootouts. The stunts were excellent, even with clear transitions from “real actors” to stuntmen. And stuntwomen, we shouldn’t forget about those. That scene with the airplane during the finale was absolutely insane. I don’t know who the fuck did it, but they were risking their lives for sure…