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A movie that not only functions as a solid scarefest but a razor-sharp satire.

The story, direction, characters, and writing/dialogue is akin to taking a tranquilizer shot to the neck, but everything else was so well done.

There are moments in this movie where the great movie it could've been peek out... They're fleeting, here, but they're worth savoring, and they happen often enough to make it worth your while.

The film's masterful storytelling did its job. The message was clear. No need to overdo.

When this 1983 Columbia comedy was made, American society was in a place of flux with an uneasiness and uncertainty about life and the future. The Cold War was old and wearing. The "sexual revolution" of the 1960s had since passed into history, but its tentacles were everywhere in society. Secularism was just becoming vogue in society if not yet in conversation. And political correctness was about to emerge. There seemed to be a malaise over what comes next. I thought about that malaise when reading the comments about this movie. Few others saw the satire or could appreciate the farce. Some thought it was just a funny movie. This film pokes fun at many of the social conditions of the time. It breaks ground on social commentary that was beginning to emerge as critique of some of the foibles of the American system and society. Some of those things in years ahead would become more agitating. We didn't know it then, but we do now, looking back. So, I'm somewhat surprised that so few people who have commented on "The Survivors" could see how it spoofed so much of what was going on and emerging. Much of the movie is devoted to the survivalist training and escapism by Robin Williams as Donald Quinelle. Closely connected to that is the effort of Walter Matthau's Sonny Paluso to keep from getting killed by a criminal, Jack Locke, played by Jerry Reed. But, feeding both of these subplots within this film are many nuances of things that don't seem right about society. Williams, Matthau and Reed all play their parts well, as do a few people in the supporting cast. The film has a good share of antics, especially by Donald. And the screenplay is filled with witty, farcical and outrageous lines. These and some of the early situations leading up to the survivalist confrontations are what build on the satire. But for some unnecessary profanity and occasional crassness, I would have this movie in my library of satire films. Before I give some sample lines of the humor, consider these few situations that spoof the culture of the time. After Sonny loses his gas station and is out of work, he can't draw unemployment relief while he looks for work. He tells the social worker he has paid into the unemployment insurance for 15 years as an employer, and asks rhetorically, why he can't receive any assistance when he has lost his job? The woman says, "You cannot be unemployed. You were an employer."The irony and political correctness spoof are so clear in this scene. The government employee is a Hindu woman who has a red jewel (bindi) on her forehead. She has an accent so she is a recent immigrant. Yet, she has a job and tells the native-born Sonny that there's no help for him. She tells him to go stand in another line, but Sonny protests. He stood in line six hours just to see her, and now she tells him to go stand in another line. He says, "You can't treat people like cattle. Oh, excuse me." She glares at him, and I laughed all the harder. Once more Sonny protests, and she sprays mace in his face. Of course, that wasn't funny.When Sonny and Donald take Jack Locke into the police station to turn him over, they're told to wait in line. The police are all busy and there's a line. No one pays attention to them, looks up, or listens to what they have to say. It's just, "get in line." The survivalist stuff is a poke at that type of social craze that reared its head a couple of times in the 20th century. And, Sonny's reticence to "get involved" or report a criminal is a jab at an attitude that was quite prominent in that time that further enabled small-time crooks and others to get by with thievery and other crimes. There were some other satirical jabs in places (i.e. Sonny's 16-year old daughter watching a porn video she got from a teacher). Here are some of my favorite lines from this film. Masked Jack Locke, robbing the café, "S--- man, you ain't got no money. What did they pay you in, food stamps? You oughta be robbing me."Donald is lying on the floor after being shot in the arm. He's frantic. Sonny says, "You're not going to die." Donald, "They always say that to people who are going to die."Donald's girlfriend, Doreen (played by Annie McEnroe), "Donald, I'm sure no one who matters watches the five o'clock news."Jack Locke, "I was raised a Southern Baptist and I place a high value on human life. $20,000 minimum."Donald, "This will be like skiing, except for the booby traps." Doreen, "I don't believe in surviving. I believe in living."Donald, on the phone to Jack, "You drive fast, oyster brain. Because the sooner you get here, the sooner there'll be one less wart on the ass of society."Jack tells his wife that he goes away at times because he's a professional killer. "So, I'm not out there committing adultery. I'm out there committing murder."Donald, after shooting a pop-up target that has a boom box, "Wes says to shoot the radios because without music they lose half their will to fight."Wes, "Welcome to the new Middle Ages."Donald, "What kind of man gives cigarettes to trees?" One has to see this scene for the full humor.

This is a prime example of one of those extremely fair/mediocre films that comes on late night TV sometimes that i just cant not watch at least a little of. Don't get me wrong its far from a perfect film, heck, its far from a good film but i just find elements of it fun to watch. Robin Williams and Walter Matthau are two, for very interesting reasons, recently out of people that get mixed up together when the diner that they are both at gets robbed by Jerry Reed. From that the movie proceeds to tell the tale of these "Survivors". As i stated before the plot is extremely week and the pay-off is sub-standard but there are definite funny lines and scenes. Here are some examples."I place a high value on human life...20,000 dollars minimum.""Blasphmy! You will smoke a turd in hell for that!""I left my green card in my other pants."In conclusion, give this movie a try. But don't expect greatness.

This movie does it all: entertains, sickens, confuses, enlightens, disappoints, enrages, delights... You get a young, burgeoning Robin Williams at the height of his cocaine abuse, a poorly-aged and dangerously arthritic Walter Matthau whose acting conjures past greatness ("Charade") and the effervescent Jerry Reed, at the peak of his career and in full, self-confident stride after the monumental success of the "Smokey" series and "Highballin" (won two awards at Cannes and a Gay and Lesbian Film Alliance Honor). Not sure why this movie is listed a comedy. I sob uncontrollably every time I watch it, which is nine times a week since 1996. Simply put, Reed's character "Jack" steals the show. His role would've been bigger but rumor has it that he made ridiculous demands while on set. Apparently, he had in his contract dodo-egg omelets at every meal and nobody on set can utter his name. Towards the end of filming, he attacked Robin William's publicist with a samurai sword. Needless to say, the man is our new Lord and this movie is his Testament....

I've seen this movie dozens of times, mostly because of some of the funniest dialogue ever written, and mostly when I was younger and the uneven story, problematic direction and distracting editing were more easily over-looked. Rewatching it tonight, I can still see a good movie in there, somewhere, but the uneven bits and long stretches of not-funny really stand out. In particular, the very last five minutes of the film ruin the rest; a bit like heartburn or food poisoning after a tasty meal.Someone should remake this movie. It would be a shame for the great moments of dialogue to be lost gems within this average and uneven whole.