(out of 5)
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.
Columbia Pictures Corporation, Original Film, Camelot Pictures, Chris Lee Productions, Illusion Entertainment
USA, 2003
Directed by Clark Johnson
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