Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- Moderate
- tense
- propulsive
- suspicious
- 1980s action marathon
- thriller night
What critics said
Critics found the increasingly implausible plot offset by Gene Hackman's commanding performance.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Chris views Walter as timid and conventional before Walter's unexpected action skills expose a very different past.
The kidnapping of Donna while she is in Europe forces the father and son relationship into an international crisis.
Chris initially regards Walter as boring and overly cautious, then must reassess him when Walter takes command.
The plot explicitly moves through Paris, Hamburg, and an American embassy context during the kidnapping investigation.
Films like Target, and why
The Man Who Would Be King
shared father son relationship, international kidnapping plot, and grounded action thriller mode
The Amateur
shared older protagonist with a hidden operational past, European espionage atmosphere, and mystery thriller structure
Commando
shared family-in-peril premise, globe-spanning pursuit, and muscular 1980s action filmmaking
The Package
shared reluctant family involvement, concealed identity, and brisk European action adventure
Movie Details
- Director
- Arthur Penn
- Release Date
- 1985-11-08
- Runtime
- 117 min
- Rating
- 5.9 / 10 (121)
Cast
- Gene Hackman
- Matt Dillon
- Gayle Hunnicutt
- Josef Sommer
- Herbert Berghof
- Guy Boyd
- Ilona Grübel
- Richard Münch
- Viktoriya Fyodorova
- Jany Holt
Where to watch in United States
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Target about?
- A disaffected son discovers that his cautious father has the skills needed to rescue his kidnapped mother from an international conspiracy.
- What is Target like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Target as brisk, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is Target violent?
- Somewhat. Ember rates the violence in Target as moderate.
- What did critics think of Target?
- Critics found the increasingly implausible plot offset by Gene Hackman's commanding performance.
- Which films are like Target?
- Films with a similar feel include The Man Who Would Be King, The Amateur, Commando, and The Package.
- How long is Target?
- Target runs 117 minutes.
- Where can I watch Target?
- In United States, Target is available to rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Fandango At Home.
