Target, released in theaters on Nov. 8, 1985, blends espionage intrigue with father-son dynamics, starring Gene Hackman as Walter Lloyd, a seemingly ordinary Texas businessman with a hidden past. His relationship with his rebellious college-age son, Chris (Matt Dillon), is strained and full of misunderstandings.
The simmering tension erupts when Walter’s wife (Gayle Hunnicutt) vanishes while traveling in Europe. A panicked notification quickly turns into an international rescue mission, as Walter and Chris fly to Paris to search for her.
During their search, Chris learns that Walter’s unremarkable exterior masks a former life as a CIA operative, complete with old enemies and secret codes.
The duo is pulled into a series of harrowing car chases, assassination attempts, and encounters with double agents—from a mysterious backpacker to treacherous CIA contacts.
As Walter’s spy skills and old alliances including Taber (Josef Sommer) come into play, Chris is forced to reassess his father’s capabilities and his own coming-of-age under pressure.
Ultimately, father and son must overcome personal differences and international conspiracies to bring their family back together, culminating in a high-stakes showdown at an abandoned air force base in Berlin.
Target sits uniquely at the intersection of Cold War spy cinema and American domestic drama.
Hackman’s measured transformation from mild-mannered dad to decisive agent is the film’s cornerstone, demonstrating both his range and screen presence.
The casting of Dillon as a hotheaded son provides an energetic counterbalance and fresh entry point for younger viewers, making the generational divide as central as the thriller plot.
While Arthur Penn’s direction delivers memorable European set pieces and a tense, layered atmosphere, some critics cite the film’s uneven tone and by-the-numbers plotting as shortcomings.
Nevertheless, Target has earned appreciation as a genre-blending curiosity, notable for its attempt to bring family drama into the realm of international espionage.
Matt Dillon and Gene Hackman in Target (Photo/Warner Bros.)
Reception for Target
Target grossed $2.7 million on its opening weekend, finishing second at the box office behind Death Wish 3, which earned $3.2 million on its second weekend and edged out Jagged Edge, which pulled in $2.6 million on its sixth weekend.
The film would gross $9 million in its theatrical run.
Legacy
It captures a mid-’80s mood of paranoia, regret, and reconciliation, offering moments of suspense and humor alongside meditations on legacy and trust.
Target remains a distinctive Cold War thriller that draws its power from familial ties as much as from cloak-and-dagger action, standing as a testament to Hackman’s versatility and Hollywood’s knack for reinvention.
