William Devane and Tommy Lee Jones star in this slow burn revenge thriller that sees the pair as former P.O.W.s of the Vietnam War finally returning home. Unfortunately, the world isn’t the way Major Charles Rane (Devane) left it.

His city welcomes him back, gifting him a giant Cadillac convertible, and a hefty collection of silver dollars for every day he was held in confinement. But on the homefront, it seems his wife, Janet (Lisa Blake Richards) wants a divorce, he’s trying to connect to his son, Mark (Jordan Gerler).

Haunted by memories of torture and suffering from PTSD, he’s conflicted and afflicted.

When a group of thugs break in to his home to steal the silver dollars, they brutalize Rane, shoving his right hand into the sink’s trash compactor and killing his wife and son. Recovering in the VA, he reconnects with Johnny Vhoden (Jones) and begins to plan his revenge.

He uses a new girl in his life, Linda (Linda Haynes) to help him hunt down his family’s killers, and takes them down one by one.

Both Rane and Vohden have problems reacclimating to life back in the world, and consequently, have no problem taking justice into their own hands, and only seem truly at peace with the world when they are doling out pain.

It’s an interesting commentary on veterans and POWs, but works within the context of the story. The idea that the country was happy to have them back, but their families had moved on, or were unable to connect definitely illustrates how, even at that time, the government was failing those who served.

It’s an interesting film, and despite the film’s climax, it’s not an all-out shoot-em-up exact brutal revenge movie. There are some interesting character choices and moments. Rane almost seems to get off on reliving the physical abuse he suffered, and Vohden is unable to connect at all to his family, who have probably never even left the state.

Both characters keep the world at a remove by wearing their sunglasses almost all the time, hiding their eyes and emotions from all of those around them.

It’s a somber piece, and it’s easy to see that it wouldn’t have broad appeal. I’m not sure it ever hit cult classic status, but I feel it definitely has an underground following, especially with Devane and Jones.

And, I don’t want to sound mean, but I don’t think Rolling Thunder was the best title. It doesn’t seem to work in regards to the character, and honestly, every time I heard the title, I thought it would be about a semi-truck, or some kind of car movie.

Not a horrible film, and some really solid themes, just not as fast-paced as it could have been. And the writing was quite strong enough for it to be solely character driven.

Still, it was solid.