Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Breakneck
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Simple
- Violence
- Brutal
- playful
- irreverent
- macho
- action movie night
- 1980s nostalgia
What critics said
Critics broadly found the film energetic and commercially effective but undermined by an illogical, predictable plot and weak screenplay.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Ray Tango is polished and methodical, while Gabe Cash is impulsive and unruly; their forced cooperation drives the prison escape and revenge plot.
The framed detectives move from celebrated LAPD crime fighters to inmates surrounded by criminals they previously arrested, making prison escape the film's major turning point.
The film combines explosive police action, macho one-liners, flamboyant character contrasts, and elaborate escape scenarios.
The central antagonist is drug lord Yves Perret, and the LAPD protagonists' conflict is framed through high-impact crime-fighting theatrics.
Films like Tango & Cash, and why
Lethal Weapon
shared buddy cop chemistry, heightened action, comic banter, and mismatched partners
48 Hrs.
shared police partnership, explosive set pieces, irreverent humor, and crime plotting
Lock Up
shared prison escape structure, macho action-comedy tone, and larger-than-life antagonism
The Last Boy Scout
shared 1980s action spectacle, police protagonists, comic bravado, and drug-crime stakes
Movie Details
- Director
- Andrei Konchalovsky
- Release Date
- 1989-12-22
- Runtime
- 104 min
- Rating
- 6.5 / 10 (2229)
Cast
- Sylvester Stallone
- Kurt Russell
- Teri Hatcher
- Jack Palance
- Brion James
- James Hong
- Marc Alaimo
- Philip Tan
- Michael J. Pollard
- Robert Z'Dar
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Philo
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Tango & Cash about?
- Two radically different Los Angeles cops must survive a corrupt prison setup and defeat the drug lord who framed them.
- What is Tango & Cash like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Tango & Cash as breakneck, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as simple.
- Is Tango & Cash violent?
- Yes. Ember rates the violence in Tango & Cash as brutal.
- What did critics think of Tango & Cash?
- Critics broadly found the film energetic and commercially effective but undermined by an illogical, predictable plot and weak screenplay.
- Which films are like Tango & Cash?
- Films with a similar feel include Lethal Weapon, 48 Hrs., Lock Up, and The Last Boy Scout.
- How long is Tango & Cash?
- Tango & Cash runs 104 minutes.
- Where can I watch Tango & Cash?
- In United States, Tango & Cash streams on Philo.
