Customer Reviews

Blue Murder

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

Blue Murder is so accurate and well acted, it could almost be classed as a documentary. It explores the true life close ties between organised crime and the police in Sydney, Australia from the 1970s through the 1980s. The outrageous behaviour is mesmerising and the characters, both good and bad, are compelling. It's well cast, well written and well acted. Blue Murder is for anyone who enjoys the stories from the seedier side of society, but doesn't necessarily need their characters to speak with American accents.

I have no idea why they compare this to the shield, and I agree with the other reviews, in the fact that if you like the shield, then this isn't the best movie choice for you. This is though a docu-drama, based on real events from one persons point of view. For those people really interested on the comings and goings of NSW cops then I suggest some of the books written, namely by the cop who was shot. I enjoy this movie as an Australian for the attention to detail of Sydney back in the late 70's early 80's. I feel sorry for you Yanks who can't understand our version of english, and I agree subtitles would be helpful. This movie though is for Australians and I wouldn't recommend it to people from any overseas country. I would like to point out as well, that thanks to cops like the ones depicted in this movie, NSW (New South Wales) police have virtually no power nowadays, which unfortunately has led to a decline in good public behaviour.

To compare this masterpiece to a fictional TV show is pretty pathetic. This is simply one of the best movies I have ever seen & if our US brothers have trouble understanding the queens english then that is their problem.

Those that lived through the times & experienced the corrupotion first hand (such as myself) know that this is as real as it gets & as dirty as it comes.

Maybe some of you actually thought it was a fictional movie or something.

Anyway ***** is not high enough.

"Blue Murder" is simply one of the finest pieces of filmmaking ever.

The direction, scripting, casting and editing are all top notch. Performances from the lead actors, down to the bit players, are all outstanding.

Those who didn't like it, need their heads read.
Those who had trouble understanding what was being said, should put in the effort and try harder.

The commentary track with Director Mike Jenkins, Editor Bill Russo and Filmmaker Mark Savage is really excellent, providing a great insight into the behind-the-scenes making of this true aussie classic. All are very talkative with lots of interesting things to discuss and chat about.

"Blue Murder" is an amazing piece of work.

This is fully sick, you lair! Giv'yer sheila a'root, sink some piss, then get this inta ya, yer bastaads.

Blue Murder is a dramatisation of real life events that occurred in New South Wales and which caused Royal Commission investigation and subsequent restructure of the NSW Police as a result. To say the storyline was 'corny' is a ludicrous comment.

Other than that, it is an excellent presentation, with top class acting and production.

To compare this to the Shield is like comparing an apple to an banana. The Shield while good is a fantasy with Vic and his crewe getting away with criminal behavour by the skin of their teeth week after week. In fact the problem with the Shield is that it requires the rest of the LAPD to be completly stupid for Vic to keep getting away with it. Also the break up of his family aside Vic suffers no comeback for all his crimes. Although the strain does show of Lem.

Blue Murder on the other hand is based on true events, that is the relationship between Roger Rogerson, Sydney's most decorated cop and Neddy Smith a bank robber, drug dealer, murderer and rapist. What Blue Murder shows is that despite all the money they earn together it comes at a price. Both men fall apart under the influence of alcohol and the strain of the life they lead.

I note that many Americans have trouble with the Australian dialect and slang, well so do we Brits, but it should not stop anyone enjoying Blue Murder for what it is, a well written, well acted, realistic drama based on true events. Whats more in Blue Murder when someone gets shot it hurts.

I am a fan of both the Shield and Blue Murder and there is no need or even reason to compare them to each other. Would you compare Bonanza to Happy Days?

WHAT ARE THEY SAYING! THE TRAILER WAS SO MISLEADING! WHAT ICE-T AND THE TUNE BODY COUNT?! THE ACCENT IS SOOOOOOO THICK, IT GAVE ME A HEADACHE! AND WHO THE HELL COMPARED THIS WITH THE SHOW "THE SHIELD"? THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NO COMPARISION! WASTED 35 BUCKS!

This is NOT like The Shield at all. Blue Murder is hokey and dated with a very low budget feel. The dialect/language is hard to understand and the action is mostly non-existent. I understand the dynamic relationship these two men had but I don't care. Neither are very interesting and the show as a whole - which has been resurrected because of the BRILLIANCE of The Shield - is a poor and cheap comparison. I know the creator of The Shield said he got many ideas from Blue Murder but quite frankly he does a much better job with those ideas than the original series. Blue Murder lacks charisma, and interesting characters. One reason I am upset about Blue Murder is that it is VERY expensive to get here in the USA and the show just wasn't up to par compared to normal US television. It is hard to describe the show if you haven't seen it but it's almost has a soap opera or stage play feel to it and it is tediously boring.

This may have been a good show down in Australia, but for this Yank it was utterly incomprehensible. I usually don't have much problem with "Aussiespeak", however I suspect much of the talk was slang. It didn't help that the dialog wasn't mixed all that well -- the 2.0 track was better than the 5.1, but not by much. I cannot understand how the US distributor didn't see the need for subtitles. Without them it could have been in any long dead or obscure language, not English as we speak it here in the States.