[DVD Review (R2)] STREET KINGS
Let me use this opportunity to tell you about a really rather brilliant thriller from the mind of James Ellroy, the master of crime-writing, that re-ignited both the police procedural and the ‘dirty cop’ subgenre, had an impressive cast and a lead performance from an under-rated actor that truly deserved an Academy Award or, at the least a nomination. It came out in a busy year of high concept movies and acclaimed dramas, subsequently getting passed over by many but is slowly starting to earn some kudos and recognition now, years on. That movie was Dark Blue, directed by Ron Shelton and starring Kurt Russell. If you have not seen it then I urge you to check it out. The similar themed Training Day may have taken the box office receipts and the critical recognition but Dark Blue is the superior movie, in my opinion.
If Training Day was the simplistic, blockbuster, overly bombastic version of the same story told by Dark Blue, then Street Kings (aka Night Watch, The Watch Tower, The Night Watchmen as it was known throughout development) is kind of the ‘children’s literature’ version. It’s Dark Blue and/or Training Day told with finger-puppets and slow, clear speech. However, it is also expertly delivered, loud, brash and old-fashioned and an almost nostalgic viewing experience in just how much it reminds you of those throw-away bad-cop-turned-good movies of the 1980s. You know, the type whereby you see a certain ‘acclaimed actor’ listed in the credits at the start and you initially think “What the fuck is he doing in this?” and then within two minutes of him arriving on screen you say “Oh, he’s going to turn out to be the bad guy right?”
Tom Ludlow (Keanu Reeves) is a veteran LAPD cop who finds life difficult to navigate after the death of his wife. When evidence implicates him in the execution of a fellow officer, he is forced to go up against the cop culture he’s been a part of his entire career, ultimately leading him to question the loyalties of everyone around him.
I’m no defender of Keanu Reeves as an actor. Can we really call him that? I thought he did what he needed to do in The Matrix, was superb at linking the action sequences together in Speed and played himself brilliantly in the Bill and Ted movies. But the man cannot act. It would be too easy for me to labour this point and spend a great deal of time reigning abuse on him. That would be so ‘old’ though. In terms of his work here in Street Kings, all I’ll say is that Reeves is very competent in scenes requiring physical exertion but anything requiring “acting” is embarrassing. The far more talented Chris Evans does better work here then Reeves.
Where Street Kings becomes fun though is in the casting of Forest Whitaker. I always love these ‘potboiler’ movies that take an acclaimed actor and throws him in the mix of material that is clearly beneath his talents and just lets him have fun with it. With a talented actor pantomiming it up for the audience, a film that would otherwise have the potential to be mediocre becomes something extremely watchable, maybe even something more. Just look at the likes of Denzel Washington in Training Day, Alan Rickman in Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves, Robert De Niro in Meet The Parents or James Woods in The General’s Daughter / Any Given Sunday / any goddamn movie he’s in, for evidence of this.
Street Kings is very much recommendable because Forest Whitaker is having an absolute blast with his performance. His role is nothing new and has been done on screen hundreds of times before, but he makes it appear fresh. Alongside that, there’s a respectable supporting cast (including Hugh Laurie [still can’t get used to his faux House American accent though] and Chris Evans) pushing proceedings along.
There’s absolutely nothing contained within Street Kings that you haven’t seen before. If you’ve seen any sort of movie of this ilk then you’ll know what the plot mechanics are and who the big “secret” bad guy will be revealed to be. Hell, this is so ‘safe’ and ‘unoriginal’ in its plotting that it even has a scene where the hero is sat in the back of a car and has the whole plot re-explained to him in ‘exposition-soaked monologue after monologue’ just in case we the audience couldn’t keep up with what’s going on. Instead the audience is sat there, screaming at the screen “Are you kidding me? Have you guys not seen Dark Blue, Training Day or any B-grade cop flick from the 80s? We have! Get on with it!”
But, it is shot well and it cracks a long at a fair old pace. It’s brief and to the point in its running time and there’s a plethora of shoot-outs and chases to keep you entertained. I’m the first to recognise that not every movie fits the blockbuster mold or the awards season contender position. Sometimes we need a throwaway piece of pure escapist fluff. Street Kings fulfils this criteria quite well.
On a rainy Friday or Saturday night this hark-back to the 18-certificated cop movies of the mid to late 80s will entertain you sufficiently with a couple of beers and a bowl of popcorn. Yet, to see the story done well in a manner that will blow your blockbuster-loving socks of then check out Training Day. To see it down in a positively stellar way that will make you think, debate and champion the talents of Kurt Russell, then I most definitely recommend Dark Blue.
6 Responses to “[DVD Review (R2)] STREET KINGS”
haven’t been sure whether to go for this as like you i can’t stand keanu reeves, but loved forest whitaker in the shield so am going to give it a go!! will let you know how i get on not that you care really
Forrest Whitaker is the BEST thing about this movie! Seriously! Saying that if you’re a fan of THE SHIELD then DARK BLUE is an absolute must-see!
And no, unfortunately, the producers and distributors do not have me on some sort of advertising commission for the repeated ‘pimps’ for DARK BLUE!
Dark Blue’s just top quality. That and Q&A are dope cop procedurals.
Hmmm, methinks you should check this out then fella:
http://www.stalepopcorn.co.uk/review-archive/retro-dvd-review-r2-qa/
What a triple bill - Q&A/Dark Blue/Training Day.
That would be something woth pitching to the fellas for the 3-Way I think!
Do it!
How can there not be more Q&A fans out there?
‘Jimm’ has a bit of an “aversion” to “modern well known well-regarded” movies finding a play in the 3-Way listing so although I could probably work in DARK BLUE and Q&A, I think I’d struggle to get him pumped on the idea of TRAINING DAY.
Need to have a think about obscure ‘dirty cop’ movies. TO LIVE AND DIE IN LA would be ace - but they’re secret service guys aren’t they? Maybe ‘dirty law enforcement’ triple in that case! lol
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