I apologise, we feel bad, but there's no trailer available. ~Ed.
It’s been a while since we’ve had a decent LAPD drama. Street Kings provides a welcome return to the slums of South Central, where gangsters, pimps and corrupt policemen roam amongst the convenience stores and chicken-wire fences.
Keanu Reeves plays Tom Ludlow, an LAPD veteran who becomes a bit of an ‘on-the-edge’ alcoholic after the death of his beloved wife. After being framed for murder by those close to him, he is forced to go up against corrupt cop culture.
Whilst occasionally veering into a familiar ‘Bill and Ted’ approach, Reeves manages to be an engaging presence as the hard-assed vigilante. Forest Whitaker is much better as his charismatic boss, Captain Wander. There’s also good supporting work from Chris Evans as the all-American rookie, and House’s Hugh Laurie as the police chief.
The story is by James Ellroy, a respected crime enthusiast who wrote ‘L.A. Confidential’ and ‘The Black Dahlia’. But the adapted script can’t hide the feeling that the deeper thematic concerns of the original novel have been jettisoned in favour of a straightforward thriller plot. For example, there is material about racism here, black vs. white (“What happened? We used to be brothers.”), which is never expanded upon.
If there’s a minor weakness, then, it’s to do with the way Street Kings seems to sacrifice tone and colour in favour of a focussed plot. The early Korea-town shoot-out and subsequent fallout, in particular, feels a bit paint-by-numbers. There’s often a sense that even the dialogue is only there to serve storyline rather than enhance character.
This very violent film intendeds to be gritty and realistic, and largely succeeds, but is occasionally let down by some silly hard-boiled detective dialogue. The overall story arc is predictable, but director David Ayer provides the film with sufficient focus to hold viewer attention.
Street Kings is a decent morality play; lean and focussed. It is attractively shot, and provides the best look at after-dark Los Angeles since Michael Mann’s Collateral.
By Andrew Hedley, Flicks.co.nz
Exciting action packed & good to see a bita real life alcoholism!!!! Keanu with the no f#*king around shoot now ask later approach!!! highly recommended!!
Saw this with low expectations. only get 34% on Rotten Tomatoes. Is better than that.Not great but certainly worth a look especially if you are a fan of James Ellroy Keanu Reeves or Forest Whittaker
went to see it on tight wad Tuesday and found it nasty. Good to see Keanu again as now he is no Pointbreak/Bill and Ted/Matrix star. Stereotyped racist characters with drugs and guns but an ok ending
Boring, predictable remake of all those cop movies where a "beyond the law" cop is out for revenge.
Three stars is generous for this movie, a straight by-the-numbers renegade cop uncovers police corruption story, but two stars seems unfair too. We enjoyed this, it did what a good movie should do and took us in, but we picked the twist after about five minutes. The dialogue was pure action movie rubbish and really took away from the great "look" of Los Angeles that the director captured. The product placement, particularly of Reeves' V8 car, was painfully obvious (though somewhat effective - great car!). The two dimensional characters were almost parodies (especially Reeves' drinking...please!). This movie was billed as a Keanu Reeves return to form but the film itself lets down his work. Fun but predictable and forgettable.
Another mean, violent and decently acted slab of Ellroy-flavoured criminality, with an impressively battered Keanu Reeves, but Ayers is no Curtis Hanson.
In Ellroy's original scenario "Street Kings" was a period piece, set in the 1990s just after the Rodney King riots. I wonder if it would've made more sense that way. As is, it unfolds in a present that feels dislocated and artificial, where everybody talks fancy-gangster talk while turning the mean streets even meaner.
It’s easy to laugh at “Street Kings” for its bigger than big emotions, its preposterously kinky narrative turns and overwrought jawing and yowling, but there’s no doubt that it also keeps you watching, really watching, all the way to the end.
If you're looking for some big, stupid fun, you could do worse than Street Kings.
"Kings" covers familiar territory but does so with ruthless efficiency, intense performances and a densely packed plot designed to highlight the moral issues that most concern Ayer and Ellroy.
We've been told the NZ release date for this flick is Thursday, 17th Apr 2008.
Release date: April 17th 2008.
We haven't received times for this movie in this location yet. However these are updated as cinemas announce them, so check back soon. Hopefully the lovely cinemas in your location will choose to play it shortly. ~Ed.
