The Fugitive 30 years later

Imagine being convicted of a crime when the justice system knew one was innocent. That was the premise of the 1993 movie The Fugitive. It was the third highest-grossing film of the year and did receive some Oscar attention. Tommy Lee Jones would win the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor for his role in the movie.

The movie tells the story of a respected vascular surgeon named Dr. Richard Kimble (played by Harrison Ford) who was convicted of murdering his wife. While en route with fellow inmates to another prison, a prisoner fakes a medical episode to stage a prison break. It became a way for Kimble to escape and find out who was behind his wife, Helen’s death.

Members of U.S. Marshalls, led by Sam Gerard (Tommy Lee Jones), arrive at the site of the crash that led to Kimble’s escape. They begin a search to retrieve him while looking at his wife’s murder case.

Kimble stays a step ahead of them as he digs deeper into the who and why his wife was a target.

Gerard would later uncover the truth and finally believes Kimble that he was innocent. It resulted in the capture of two men who were involved in her death while framing Kimble.

Overall

The movie had an outstanding character-driven plot. Both Ford and Jones shined in this thriller. It showed that two people can surprisingly work together to get to the truth.

For Ford, it was one of the underrated performances in his acting career. It showed that he can do something else without a blaster and whip.

As for Jones, he too shined in the film. His wise-cracking character went from being all in to apprehending an escaped convict to knowing who Kimble is and what he’s doing while on the run.

After watching this movie countless times, three lessons stood out from the film.

Search for Truth

The main theme of the movie was the search for truth. Kimble arrived home when his wife’s murder was taking place. The person responsible made him look guilty. While on the run, Kimble changed his appearance and find ways to lay low. One mistake would lead him back to prison as he evades the authorities.

Like Kimble, we know people who are looking for truth at every corner. He wanted to get to the bottom of things. He would find out that his wife's murder went deeper than he thought as he discovers his once trusted colleague and friend was involved in his wife’s murder.

Help No Matter What

We all can recall the Good Samaritan parable in the bible. Kimble is too like the Samaritan. Despite the risk of being caught again, he helps save lives from the prison guard to the kid in the hospital. It shows that Kimble was willing to stick with his principles, especially during a medical episode. He was a man of principle. Every man who lives by their principles must consistently live by them.

Persevere and Fight

For Kimble, he knew that he was innocent. To prove it, he had to fight until the end. From escaping custody to leading the authorities to the actual killer, he never stopped. We too must fight to protect our reputation at times when it is being challenged by others.

Kimble had to fight for the truth when the odds were stacked against him. In the end, he helped the authorities re-examine the case and bring the real killer to justice.

The Fugitive is a must-watch for those 13 years old and older. This is a classic film with a great cast and some good twists and turns.