So who is the king of all cop corruption action flicks? Writer and director David Ayer of course. Ayer who is probably best known for his Oscar Award winning film Training Day put together yet another solid action drama in the movie Street Kings.
As a fan of most of Ayer’s films, I found it quite difficult to say anything really bad about this movie. It wasn’t Oscar award winning by any means, but I found some of reviews across the net to be pretty harsh and critical.
The plot although linear and predictable was still quite entertaining and suspenseful, both Keanu Reeves and Forest Whitaker put on creditable performances, and the appearance of House M.D. (Hugh Laurie) and his sarcastic monotone self, actually caught me off guard.
The action was everything that it was expected to be. It had all the gunfights, chases, and trash talk one could ask for. Although it was hardly as brutal as some of Ayer’s other films, it still had enough umph to satisfy most action movie buffs.
Would I recommend this film to others? Most definitely. It makes for a good rental and is perhaps Keanu’s best performance since the Matrix Trilogy. Come into this film without expectations and I’m sure you’ll find some enjoyment in this film.
Synopsis: In the wake of the L.A. riots, an LAPD vice detective who always went above and beyond the call of duty to keep the streets safe receives a startling wake-up call that leaves him convinced he can no longer employ the tactics that made him so effective in his work. LAPD veteran Tom Ludlow has borne personal witness to the worst that the streets have to offer, and when his partner, Detective Terrance Washington, is killed the violence strikes a bit too close to home. Now Ludlow is on a mission to bring his partner’s killer to justice, though Captain Walker is concerned that the hotheaded detective is taking the case too personally. Now, as Captain Walker attempts to convince Ludlow to work within the confines of the law, Internal Affairs Captain Biggs begins following the vengeful lawman’s every move. In order to accomplish his mission, Ludlow recruits fresh-faced Robbery Homicide Detective Diskant to trace Washington’s killers through the winding streets of Los Angeles. Later, when Ludlow and Diskant come face to face with the remorseless cop killers, they must chose between upholding the law and seeking bitter vengeance. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
