U.S. Marshals

On a routine transfer from Chicago to New York, U.S. Marshal Sam Gerard oversees a plane full of high risk criminals. A spectacular crash ensues, and one escapee, Mark Sheridan, disappears into the city. Diplomatic Security Agent John Royce is assigned to assist Gerard in tracking Sheridan, but the hunt quickly reveals that the fugitive is more slippery and cunning than the ordinary killer. The pursuit shifts from the airfield to crowded streets and highways as a tense cat and mouse game unfolds. With time running out and pressure mounting from higher-ups, Gerard and Royce clash over tactics while the danger Sheridan represents keeps deepening. The chase tightens as city streets twist, and each encounter raises the stakes again.

Released in 1998, directed by Stuart Baird, U.S. Marshals draws on Roy Huggins's The Fugitive universe with Sam Gerard at the center and new adversaries in a high-stakes chase, expanding the franchise while keeping focus on procedural tension throughout.

Box office performance was solid, with a worldwide gross of 102,367,405 on a 60 million budget, reflecting steady audience interest and strong domestic take. Its appeal crossed typical action crowds and lingered with fans of procedural thrillers today worldwide, globally.

Best remembered for the pairing of Tommy Lee Jones as Sam Gerard and Wesley Snipes as Mark Sheridan, the film helped popularize a procedural chase and taut exchanges. Supporting turns by Robert Downey Jr as Royce, Joe Pantoliano as Renfro, and Kate Nelligan as Walsh add texture to the pursuit.

Critical reception was mixed with praise for performances and tight pacing, but some critics found the plot predictable. The film examines authority versus autonomy, duty under pressure, and the moral ambiguities of chasing a suspect, a theme echoed in many late 90s thrillers, for audiences rewatching action thrillers today worldwide, globally.