it seem that many people have enjoy the survivor and a a huge walter matthau fan i sure want to be one of them . the survivor be a muddled mess with script problem and and most curiously and problem with the casting of it leading actor matthau and robin williams . just reading that would make you thing that the casting be inspire but it end up work against the film . matthau and williams have two very distinctive style of comedy that work against each other and that aspect be clear throughout the movie . these two appear to be star in different movie even when they be on screen together . director michael ritchie appear to have let williams and his manic sense of humor go crazy with no attempt to reel him in to a calm level more suitable for the film . take a look at the world accord to garp where williams work with the great george roy hill to see a restrained and terrific performance . sure some of williams manic comedy sneak through there but it be at a minimum . here williams be all over the map which be surprising consider director ritchie track record of only good movie up to this point ( the candidate and smile and the bad news bear among others ) . another problem with the film be the tone of the script . it want to be satirical and farcical and and dark all at the same time . have it stick with just one of those tone we might have have a good movie . perhaps a satirical look at the difficulty of big business which be suggest in a funny opening scene when williams be fire by his bos parrot . or perhaps a dark comedy about two down on their luck guy who happen across a hit man and try to stay alive or even perhaps hop to be kill and a they get their life in some sort of order . this be hint at but the story fall flat with the casting of jerry reed a the hit man who turn out to be a likable guy . reed never convince me he be anything more then the snowman with a gun wait for burt reynolds . he always seem to be wink at himself and never come off a menacing . and the last act of the film at the survivalist outing be so mundane and silly it doesn not even belong in this film . the survivor could have be a really special film have director ritchie reign in and restrain williams some and have the script go through major overhaul instead of look like they shoot a first draft . a it now stand there be a few laugh and it not a total waste of time but will be a huge disappointment to fan of the lead actor .