John Frankenheimer has directed "52 Pick-Up" in a style so devoid of nuance, the movie almost watches itself.

A movie is only as good as its villain. John Frankenheimer's 52 Pick-Up provides us with the best, most reprehensible villain of the year and uses his vile charm as the starting point for a surprisingly good film.

...John Frankenheimer’s 52 Pick-Up is a reasonably proficent if brutal revenge thriller; not a bad Elmore Leonard adaptation, and easily one of the best from the Cannon studio, which isn’t saying much given the awfulness of their output….

What sets it apart from countless other tawdry thrillers of its era are the film’s ruthless efficiency and astonishing cruelty. This movie has a mean streak a mile wide.