CLARK JOHNSON
Bil’s rating (out of 5): BB.
USA, 2003. Columbia Pictures Corporation, Original Film, Camelot Pictures, Chris Lee Productions, Illusion Entertainment. Story by Ron Mita, Jim McClain, Screenplay by David Ayer, David McKenna, based on characters created by Robert Hamner. Cinematography by Gabriel Beristain. Produced by Dan Halsted, Chris Lee, Neal H. Moritz. Music by Elliot Goldenthal. Production Design by Mayne Berke. Costume Design by Christopher Lawrence. Film Editing by Michael Tronick.
Colin Farrell is once again furrowing his eyebrows in the name of action heroism. If it’s possible, however, this humdrum action film is less inspired and less interesting than his other starring vehicles The Recruit and Hart’s War. He plays a top-notch SWAT agent who is kicked off the force when his hotheaded partner pulls a dangerous stunt during a major operation to save a bank being held up by armed robbers. Working a low level job in the armory, Farrell is once again put in the limelight when an “old school” team leader (Samuel L. Jackson) is brought back into the force and hires our hotshot hero as one of his new team members. The team is also comprised of much more interesting characters, including Michelle Rodriguez, LL Cool J and Josh Charles, and they’re immediately put to work when they have to escort a recently arrested French drug trafficker (Olivier Martinez) to prison and he attempts a highly elaborate escape. This film is two hours of badly scripted dialogue, endless explosions and surround sound gun shots.
