I watched this one years ago, as a rental movie (on VHS if you can believe that) back when I was in high school or thereabouts. Decided to download and re-watch it recently, and I don't regret that: it's a solid movie.
One minor thing that bothered me was an early scene where Book (Harrison Ford) takes Samuel (Lukas Haas) and his mother (Kelly McGillis) to a bar in order for the kid to (potentially) identify the killer: arguably a bit of a stretch in terms of realism (as is, in fact, the whole sequence where Book pretty much forces the Amish folk to stay at his sister's place, etc.).
On the whole, however, this is a well executed affair with Ford in one of his best roles (I would argue). Crucially, it's a movie that knows when to tone it down a bit where it matters most. The whole romance side plot is evidence of this, but especially the way it ends: it would have been oh-so-easy to just let Book and Rachel end up together in one way or another. But they do not - and the ending is much stronger for it: the final shot, with its «it had to be this way» feel (Book driving past Rachel's more realistic suitor as the former leaves the place), is pretty much perfect.
I would also like to highlight the final shootout: this too is almost oddly (compared to similar scenarios in Hollywood mainstream efforts) toned-down: it's obviously dramatic enough, action packed even, that's not what I mean - but it nevertheless struck me as refreshing: the killer (Danny Glover) is disposed of with a single shotgun discharge after a very short prelude. And the true Big Bad of the movie (Josef Sommer)...well, he actually gives up (as in - he surrenders).
One minor thing that bothered me was an early scene where Book (Harrison Ford) takes Samuel (Lukas Haas) and his mother (Kelly McGillis) to a bar in order for the kid to (potentially) identify the killer: arguably a bit of a stretch in terms of realism (as is, in fact, the whole sequence where Book pretty much forces the Amish folk to stay at his sister's place, etc.).
On the whole, however, this is a well executed affair with Ford in one of his best roles (I would argue). Crucially, it's a movie that knows when to tone it down a bit where it matters most. The whole romance side plot is evidence of this, but especially the way it ends: it would have been oh-so-easy to just let Book and Rachel end up together in one way or another. But they do not - and the ending is much stronger for it: the final shot, with its «it had to be this way» feel (Book driving past Rachel's more realistic suitor as the former leaves the place), is pretty much perfect.
I would also like to highlight the final shootout: this too is almost oddly (compared to similar scenarios in Hollywood mainstream efforts) toned-down: it's obviously dramatic enough, action packed even, that's not what I mean - but it nevertheless struck me as refreshing: the killer (Danny Glover) is disposed of with a single shotgun discharge after a very short prelude. And the true Big Bad of the movie (Josef Sommer)...well, he actually gives up (as in - he surrenders).