A bounty hunter, a terrorist, and a Los Angeles vendetta that explodes on the waterfront.
WANTED: DEAD OR ALIVE
Nick Randall is a loner. A legend. A bounty hunter. He's the best there is at the job he hates.
Bounty hunter Nick Randall (Rutger Hauer) is offered two hundred fifty thousand dollars by the C.I.A. to get the terrorist behind the bombing of a Los Angeles, California movie theater. Nick quit the C.I.A. because he couldn't trust them. Can they be trusted now, and can he stop the terrorists?
Quick Answer
Wanted: Dead or Alive is a 1987 American action, crime, drama, and thriller film directed by Gary Sherman about ex-CIA bounty hunter Nick Randall tracking a terrorist in Los Angeles.
Programmer's Pick
Rutger Hauer brings stone-cold grit and battered charisma to the bounty hunter game, going head-to-head with Gene Simmons’ unhinged terrorist. Exploding cars, grim payphone deals, and a side of moral ambiguity—this is L.A. action from the B-side, right down to the warehouse finale.
— SassyFlix Programmer
Overview
Details & Specs
- Director
- Gary Sherman
- Writers
- Gary Sherman, Michael Patrick Goodman, Brian Taggert
- Release
- 1987
- Runtime
- 1h 44m
- Country
- United States of America
- Language
- English
- Also Known As
- Mort ou vif, Gesucht - Tot oder lebendig, Gesucht - Tot oder lebendig (1986), Wanted Dead or Alive
Why This Matters
This film serves as a cinematic continuation of the 1958 television series 'Wanted: Dead or Alive,' connecting Rutger Hauer's character to Steve McQueen's original role and bridging classic TV with 1980s action cinema.
Cast & Crew
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Why Cult
From movie theater bombings to waterfront showdowns, the film uses Los Angeles as more than just a backdrop for relentless action.
The unlikely showdown between Hauer’s jaded bounty hunter and Simmons’ menacing terrorist gives the film a distinctive cat-and-mouse intensity.
Expect grenades, car chases, and shootouts punctuated by a one-man army approach that leans into B-movie spectacle.
Nick Randall’s anti-hero code and distrust of authority fuel a revenge tale where the bounty isn't the only thing on the line.
Scene Gallery
Threat File
Questions from the Vault
Who directed Wanted: Dead or Alive? +
Wanted: Dead or Alive was directed by Gary Sherman.
How long is Wanted: Dead or Alive? +
The runtime of Wanted: Dead or Alive is 104 minutes.
What genre is Wanted: Dead or Alive? +
Wanted: Dead or Alive is an action, crime, drama, and thriller film.
Where can I watch Wanted: Dead or Alive? +
Wanted: Dead or Alive is available to stream on SassyFlix.
How does Nick Randall balance trust and revenge in his pursuit of Al-Rahim? +
Randall’s history with the CIA makes him deeply distrustful of his employers, but the personal cost of the manhunt—especially after the loss of his friend and girlfriend—drives him to pursue revenge alongside his professional mission.
