Street Kings

Starring: Keanu Reeves, Forest Whittaker, Hugh Laurie, Chris Evans, Cedric the Entertainer, Jay Mohr, Naomie Harris, Common, The Game, John Corbett
Directed by: David Ayer
Rating: R
Genre: Crime, Drama, Thriller
2008

Times Seen:
Tim: 1

Summary: An LAPD officer (Keanu Reeves) finds himself in over his head when he is framed for his partner's murder. Now, an Internal Affairs agent (Hugh Laurie) is hot on his trail, while his boss (Forest Whittaker) offers to protect him, at any cost. He teams up with a rookie (Chris Evans) to get to the bottom of corrupt dealings that led to his framing.

Review:

Tim: This might have been viewed as a better movie if there weren't already so many good cop thrillers out there. Compared to some of those better movies, this one feels a bit redundant. There is very little new here- and mostly it's been done better elsewhere. The movie moves so fast that it will at least hold your interest. However, by its conclusion, you're still waiting for something new or particularly exciting. It never happens.

What the film has going for it is the cast. This cast is impressive. Keanu Reeves is decent in the lead role. I've always been a fan of his work, but here, I wished he gave a little more. This isn't one of his best roles. I loved seeing Forest Whittaker in his borderline over-the-top role. He's played a number of Oscar-bait roles in recent years, and it was so refreshing to see him pour his talent into a gritty cop role. Casting Hugh Laurie was a brilliant move, but I wish he had a bit more to do. He's such a terrific talent, and I was disappointed he didn't get to showcase that talent more. Chris Evans was also a good casting choice. He and Reeves work well together, and I truly enjoyed seeing this actors sharing screen time. The rest of the supporting cast is impressive as well, with Jay Mohr, John Corbett, and Cedric the Entertainer all playing roles slightly outside of their usual. The cast was good.

My biggest problem with the film is that it just doesn't grab ahold of the audience. This is a story about police corruption, switching loyalties, and a great deal more. This should be a big movie, but it feels too small. None of the action or drama really gets to be that suspenseful. We never really buy into any of the characters, which doesn't allow us to get emotionally invested in the film. The action scenes are all a bit of a disappointment.

Street Kings isn't a great movie. The cast alone warrants a viewing, but I wouldn't go in expecting too much. This is a violent, dramatic film that is surprisingly ineffective. It's decent, but not good enough.

Rating 1-10
Tim's Rating: 6.5



If You Enjoyed This Movie, We Recommend:
The Watcher, Vantage Point, Cellular, Training Day, Dark Blue