Title: Street Kings
Running Time: 90 min.
Cast: Keanu Reeves, Forest Whitaker, High Laurie, Chris Evans, Martha Higareda, Cedric the Entertainer, Jay Mohr, Terry Crews, Naomi Harris
Director: David Ayer
Producers: Lucas Foster, Alexandra Milchan, Erwin Stoff
Screenwriters: James Ellroy, Kurt Wimmer
Music: Graeme Revell
Editor: Jeffrey Ford
Genre: Thriller/ Crime/ Drama
Cinematography: Gabriel Beristain
Distributor: Warner Bros.
Location: Los Angeles, California
Technical assessment: 3 ½
Moral assessment: 3
For viewers aged 14 and up.
Still angry and bitter that his wife’s murderer could no longer be tracked down, Detective Tom Ludlow (Keanu Reeves) of the Los Angeles Police Department begins his day with a bottle of Vodka to perk him up. He becomes an instant celebrity after his fearless rescue of twin girls kidnapped by a Korean gang. That feat has also earned a promotion for his boss and good friend, Captain Jack Wander (Forest Whitaker). Hostile to both is the Head of Internal Affairs, Capt. James Biggs (High Laurie) who seems to be watching their movements. After witnessing the salvaging of his former partner, Detective Terrence Washington (Terry Crews), Ludlow conducts his own investigation to find out why Washington was killed and who were responsible for his death. Robbery Homicide Detective Paul Diskant (Christ Evans) joins him in this dangerous mission. How can they survive and find their way out from a maze-like syndicate? What harsh realities in the police force will they discover in the process?
That there are scalawags among cops, that a police department could be corrupt, that money tempts the corruptible to cross the line – these are the stuff that we read not only in novels (which somehow mirror life anyway) but also in our dailies and that we watch in the movies. While some sequences in the film could be roman à cle, one could only wish for more Tom Ludlow in our midst. Previous films have also presented the theme of a hero fighting for what is right and reforming the system. But Street Kings features a blend of well-chosen cast, effective sound effects, good cinematography, fast pacing, and tight editing. Keanu Reeves, particularly, renders a convincing performance as a flawed yet righteous and courageous character.
The problem is that there is too much violence and gore in the film. It gives the impression that there are so many renegades in the police department and that foul language is part of being tough. That cops, exposed to crime, could become calloused is seen in the episode when Captain Jack Wander smiles as he views the bodies of slain kidnappers and happily remarks: “This is lovely”. It fuels disenchantment with police authorities as the film shows how cops cover up for their comrades, how they manipulate evidence to protect them from indictment after a shoot-out, and how easily they could betray and kill one another. In spite of these disturbing elements, what makes the film acceptable in the end is the triumph of good over evil like the parabolic weed that needs to be uprooted for the healthy growth of the wheat.
Running Time: 90 min.
Cast: Keanu Reeves, Forest Whitaker, High Laurie, Chris Evans, Martha Higareda, Cedric the Entertainer, Jay Mohr, Terry Crews, Naomi Harris
Director: David Ayer
Producers: Lucas Foster, Alexandra Milchan, Erwin Stoff
Screenwriters: James Ellroy, Kurt Wimmer
Music: Graeme Revell
Editor: Jeffrey Ford
Genre: Thriller/ Crime/ Drama
Cinematography: Gabriel Beristain
Distributor: Warner Bros.
Location: Los Angeles, California
Technical assessment: 3 ½
Moral assessment: 3
For viewers aged 14 and up.
Still angry and bitter that his wife’s murderer could no longer be tracked down, Detective Tom Ludlow (Keanu Reeves) of the Los Angeles Police Department begins his day with a bottle of Vodka to perk him up. He becomes an instant celebrity after his fearless rescue of twin girls kidnapped by a Korean gang. That feat has also earned a promotion for his boss and good friend, Captain Jack Wander (Forest Whitaker). Hostile to both is the Head of Internal Affairs, Capt. James Biggs (High Laurie) who seems to be watching their movements. After witnessing the salvaging of his former partner, Detective Terrence Washington (Terry Crews), Ludlow conducts his own investigation to find out why Washington was killed and who were responsible for his death. Robbery Homicide Detective Paul Diskant (Christ Evans) joins him in this dangerous mission. How can they survive and find their way out from a maze-like syndicate? What harsh realities in the police force will they discover in the process?That there are scalawags among cops, that a police department could be corrupt, that money tempts the corruptible to cross the line – these are the stuff that we read not only in novels (which somehow mirror life anyway) but also in our dailies and that we watch in the movies. While some sequences in the film could be roman à cle, one could only wish for more Tom Ludlow in our midst. Previous films have also presented the theme of a hero fighting for what is right and reforming the system. But Street Kings features a blend of well-chosen cast, effective sound effects, good cinematography, fast pacing, and tight editing. Keanu Reeves, particularly, renders a convincing performance as a flawed yet righteous and courageous character.
The problem is that there is too much violence and gore in the film. It gives the impression that there are so many renegades in the police department and that foul language is part of being tough. That cops, exposed to crime, could become calloused is seen in the episode when Captain Jack Wander smiles as he views the bodies of slain kidnappers and happily remarks: “This is lovely”. It fuels disenchantment with police authorities as the film shows how cops cover up for their comrades, how they manipulate evidence to protect them from indictment after a shoot-out, and how easily they could betray and kill one another. In spite of these disturbing elements, what makes the film acceptable in the end is the triumph of good over evil like the parabolic weed that needs to be uprooted for the healthy growth of the wheat.
