Customer Reviews

Street Kings

5 star:		(33)
4 star:		(33)
3 star:		(20)
2 star:		(6)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

Keanu Reeves has come a long way as an actor. If you watch his early films you can see how he struggles to make his emotions authentic, without always succeeding. I think this was a break-through film for him. He is very believable as Tom Ludlow the soused "street fighter" cop who bends and breaks rules to get the job done. Whether he is romancing his gal, grieving over a dead cop, or exploding with rage - the emotions feel "real". And he is even more handsome than he was in his youth.
This was an exciting film from start to finish. There is not one dull moment where your mind begins to wander. The soundtrack was excellent- a menacing heartbeat that always forewarns us of dangers to come. The beautifully done cinematography included vivid colors, wrenching close-ups and sweeping panoramas of L.A. Great work! I think it is too bad that so many movie critics gave this one luke-warm reviews because "Street Kings" is a good film worth seeing. I know I will be eagerly awaiting the dvd release.

"Street Kings"--James Ellroy--deepest corruption, unrelenting violence, hidden acts, provocative coverups--this is a world that Joe and Julia Citizen will never see. The average citizen might assume corruption in police departments, but will never ever guess its extent as "Street Kings" shows.

Governmental and military black ops are kept secret with no written records in efforts to make a dent on destroying evil (philosophically speaking) in the large world. "Street Kings," through the pen of James Ellroy and the direction of David Ayer, exposes a layer of police work that parallels that of black ops. Written records are required in this case but highly filtered and altered.

Keanu Reeves is a surprising choice as Tom Ludlow, police op extraordinaire, but quite convincing as the take-no-prisoners kind of guy--one of the Street Kings of the police underworld. However, his work eliminating evil is protected by his boss, played his usual soft-spoken way by Forest Whitaker, the king of the Street Kings. Perhaps not playing his role viciously took the onus off his character's ultimate revelation.

Once the first scene rolled with its explicit violence and the take-down by death of vicious thugs, the tone of the film is set. Tom Ludlow shows his mettle and his job--ridding the world of dark evils. At a group gathering of police ops for ritual drinks, Ludlow again shows his nature--roiling underneath a seemingly calm exterior, willing to act NOW, and barely containable by his boss, Whitaker's character.

On the other hand, Whitaker shows his hail-fellow-well-met persona, appreciative of Ludlow's work to enhance his own political inside clawing to the top. By movie's end, we see just what Whitaker's character truly wants.

The plot becomes quite complex with the addition of two men--Hugh Laurie as Internal Affairs and Ludlow's former partner who decides to go to IA. More murder, more mayhem. Through it all, believe it or not, Ludlow remains true to himself and to his necessary role in the police underworld.

The film's conclusion is a shocker. I never guessed the depth of the police underworld and what our guardians of the streets would do for public safety and their own protection. Is this just a movie based on a book for entertainment value, or does the movie show truth filtered through fiction?

I was intrigued when I heard that writer James Ellroy, of LA Confidential fame, was attached to this movie. Street Kings plays like a modern version of LA Confidential, albeit much darker and more cynical.

You have similar parallels to the original LA Confidential. Chris Evans of Fantastic Four fame, plays Detective Paul Diskant, more akin to the idealistic Guy Pearce. Keanu Reeves, no introduction needed, plays the bruiser type with an honest heart- more along the lines of Russell Crowe's Bud White. Lastly, Forrest Whittaker gives an entertaining performance as the politically savvy and corrupt vice squad captain, much like James Cromwell's Captain Dudley Smith.

Keanu put on some weight for the movie, I found his performance fine. He's often criticized for being too wooden, but I didn't notice anything that detracted from his performance. It's a genre movie, so certain plot points are predictable, yet I was also pleasantly surprised by a few twists.

If you liked LA Confidential, and are looking for the modern update, then look no further.

STREET KINGS is the latest police thriller by director David Ayer, responsible for other police thrillers such as "Training Day" and "Dark Blue". Police corruption has been the main theme for most police dramas, and this film is no different. The screenplay by James Elroy is full of intrigue and bleakness that delves into the dark side of the LAPD.

Tom Ludlow (Keanu Reeves) is a cop on the edge, an alcoholic and would stoop to the most extreme measures to solve a crime; usually his suspects turn out dead. He does get the job done though, and is favored by his commanding officer, Captain Jack Wander (Forest Whitaker). As a result, Tom's past sins have been covered up for years, he works tightly in a special unit and his existence is a melting pot of violence and death. One day, his former partner (Terry Crews) becomes an informant for Internal Affairs, is killed in a convenience store shooting. The incident had awakened some "intestinal fortitude" in Tom, and now he must find those responsible along with a young detective (Chris Evans). Little do they know that they are opening up a huge can of worms.

"Street Kings" does have all the elements I like in a cop film; it's gritty, very violent and fast-paced. The film isn't going to be recognized for originality, it has all the usual formulas we've all seen before; corrupt authority figures and the hunger for money and power. The film does do one thing right and it does convince the audience that it is worth watching. The heavy and mean dialogue combined with gunfights which are quite bloody and full of intensity, it has all the qualities of a film that any male movie fan would love. The director understands what he has set out to do, and he has structured the film to move as pure adrenaline as it goes through the insides and outs of the LAPD. The film is full of detail as to how and why the corruption is inherent in the "cop system".

The screenplay plays a bit like a morality play as hotshot cop; Tom Ludlow goes through the workings of evidence tampering and cover ups. Tom's character is a man who barely sees injustice due to the things he has seen; his phrase "Bad creates more Bad" actually sums up his bleak view of his world. The script is full of "bad language" that it sometimes makes Tom's use of complex terms a little out of place. Keanu Reeves is a decent actor in my book, but I did somehow see his limits with this role.

The film does have a complex plot and is quite intense, and this is where the problems begin. The film needed to breathe at times and relax and let all its complexities settle in. The unraveling of its main twist in the third act seemed a little too `cardboard' that seemed to fail its maze of intrigue and controversy in the film's set up. The film made a compelling point when it made the darkness of the police system come full circle, with a lot of paranoia and mistrust that suggested a strong clever resolution to all the mayhem. I expected something more than a climax full of cliché that is quite familiar in action films. Forest Whitaker's final speech seemed a little too melodramatic that the film's primary set up just didn't match up.

It would be really difficult to express as to why I would say "Street Kings" is a good film because honestly, it did have a lot of faults. Some parts of the investigation seemed a little too convenient and too easy, while the final act seemed to lose much of its forward momentum when it proved less than stimulating as I've hoped for. However, I did enjoy "STREET KINGS"; it's full of attitude and the sharp-tongued dialogue did convince me to look beyond its holes. Director Ayer knew the film's limits and knew exactly what he needed to do in order to hide its flaws. It does provide an exciting ride while seeing through the eyes of a burned-out cop. The film is cleverly paced, and its action and grittiness will definitely see you enjoying its tough-guy thrills with a lot of bloodshed and body count.

Recommended! [3 ½ Stars]

If you like the genre, this product won't disappoint you.

The plot is convoluted enough for me to try to give you an idea. It bears some resemblance to Ellroy's "LA Confidential" of course, but SK is more messy.

I laughed on how "American values" this film is. They show Detective Tom drinking so often one has to think "he's an alcoholic". His chief, who knows he kills lawlessly, criticizes him for this "vice". But we saw Ludlow rescuing those underage hostages. Then "he's good". How come, is he bad or good? Can he be both? And they pay script writers for this "moral dilemma" ... :).

I would have liked Naomie Harris to play the "female beauty". Martha Hilgareda is OK anyway.

I expected some great lines like in Training day. I know this by heart: "Jake Hoyt: Its not so fun when the rabbit has a gun. Or Alonzo Harris: It's not what you know, it's what you can prove". Or the best: "Alonzo: You gotta see the streets. You gotta feel it. You gotta smell it, you gotta taste the streets. How's your Espanol?"

Slang is all around anyway. Hard to twig if English is not your mother language, but anyway, you get the meaning . Overall, I liked this movie. It may not last in your memory more than weed, but ...

PS: Real time cop Daryl Gates' presence steals the show.

Tom Ludlow is a veteran LAPD cop who finds life difficult to navigate after the death of his wife. When evidence implicates him in the execution of a fellow officer, he is forced to go up against the cop culture he's been a part of his entire career, ultimately leading him to question the loyalties of everyone around him. Street Kings" is a solid, entertaining movie. Excellent performances by entire cast, which isn't an easy task; but this one has it. Never a dull moment; action just keeps on coming.

The screen play written by James Ellroy is about a troubled cop, a dirty but effective unit in the troubled LAPD and of course corruption that goes (da da dum) ALL THE WAY TO THE TOP. To paraphrase David Spade's Hollywood Minute - I liked it better the first time......when it was called "L. A. Confidential".

Still, if you like movies about cops and bad guys and don't want to watch LA Confidential again, this is a pretty good take on a story we never seem to get tired of watching. Its essentially the same story Ellroy has been writing since he began. Good cops trying to do the right thing in a bad world and having to answer the age old question "where does it all end? who polices the police?" At times I thought the story was going to devolve into a liberal PC morality lesson where the only bad guys are the cops and everyone else is an innocent victim, even the perps. Ellroy is too seasoned a writer to not give us a good story and a mystery. This movie may not be a classic and there's nothing really new here but it's a good re-telling of the troubled/dirty cop story.

And if that's the kind of thing you like, then you're going to like this kind of thing. Very watchable and engaging. The first extended sequence scene is particularly good starting with Keanu waking up and ending at the gang house. This seems to be a trademark of Ellroy in which the story is comprised of a sequence of gripping and compelling scenes and even though the ending maybe predictable, its a good ride.

There are movies galore that focus on the role of police in society. For the most part, early films portrayed them as pillars of the community, citizens with badges that children and adults alike could admire and trust. In the early seventies all of that changed. Corrupt policemen in New York became the cause du jour and the film SERPICO portrayed cops as people who would turn a blind eye when a bribe was offered. That characterization continued in films through TRAINING DAY in 2001. The writer for that film, David Ayers, returns to the men in blue with STREET KINGS.

Keannu Reeves is Det. Tom Ludlow, a man on the outs having lost his wife and part of an elite task force that takes to the streets of LA in pursuit of the worst the world has to offer. The team Tom works with is headed by Capt. Jack Wander (Forrest Whitaker), an up and coming official with his sites set on the chief's position. Tom and his fellow detectives use unorthodox methods to say the least, but they get the job done.

As the film begins, Tom rises to go to a meet with two Korean gang bangers who think he's there to sell them a machine gun. When they take Tom out and steal his car, they've played into his hands. A tracker on the car leads Tom to their house where he busts in, blasting away everyone in the house. The reason? To rescue two pre-teen Korean girls who had been abducted and abused for the online porn industry.

To most Tom would be a hero. But before the investigation into the shooting begins, Tom plants guns on each downed bad guy. Still, we might think this was okay since they were obviously scum. But as the film progresses, we begin to wonder just who it is that makes those decisions.

After the shooting, Tom gets into a minor altercation with his old partner Washington (Terry Crews). At a later meeting, he learns that Washington has been in touch with an Internal Affairs officer named Biggs (Hugh Laurie) who is in the midst of investigating Tom. But Wander has Tom's back and warns him to let it go.

But Tom can't. He follows Washington to a market with the intent on confronting him only to find the two of them in the middle of a robbery by two gang bangers. It's not until they pin down Washington and rip him to shreds with machine gun fire that Tom regrets his decision.

Before anything can happen, Wander and the team arrive and advise Tom what to do, which includes taking the video surveillance disc. Confused and concerned, Tom continues to investigate the case, working with Det. Diskant (Chris Evans), another cop determined to help protect him and his career. As the two follow leads, the real story behind the death of Washington comes clear. And Tom's life is not only changed but put in jeopardy as well.

The story plays fast and furious as we move from one situation to the next, rarely having time to catch a breath. And in the end the pieces of the puzzle fit nicely together to give us the whole picture. It may not be a pretty picture, but in many cases it rings true.

Reeves does a good job as Tom Ludlow, but never seems to find the right groove for the character. His portrayal here is not one of his best performances but he does his best. As for the rest of the cast, Whitaker comes across as megalomaniacal in the character of Wander, a man who feels he has more power and control than he has whose manipulations bring more grief than relief.

The best thing about this movie is the direction and photography. The slick style of both makes this movie jump off the screen. And the cinematography by Gabriel Beristain is done to magnificent effect, so much so that it's one of the rare times I've been aware of it while watching the film.

All in all this movie is a fun watch that holds your interest from beginning to end. It delivers plenty of action and suspense and a well turned story that doesn't offer the total solution until the film's end. If you're looking for something that will keep you in your seat start to finish, you couldn't do much better than this.

"Street Kings" is great! This is how the story goes: Tom Ludlow, a veteran LAPD Vice Detective, sets out on a quest to discover the killers of his former partner, Detective Terrance Washington. Captain Wander's, Ludlow's supervisor, duties include keeping him within the confines of the law--and out of the clutches of Internal Affairs Captain Biggs. Ludlow teams up with a young Robbery Homicide Detective to track Washington's killers through the diverse communities of Los Angeles. Their determination pays off when the two detectives track down Washington's murderers and confront them in an attempt to bring them to justice. The cast led by Keanu Reeves (as Tom Ludlow), Forest Whitaker (as Captain Jack Wander), Hugh Laurie (as Captain Jack Biggs), and Chris Evans (as Detective Paul Diskant) is great! The directing by David Ayer (who also wrote the story and screenplay and directed "Harsh Times" (2005), also wrote the story and screenplay to "Training Day" (2001), and wrote the screenplays to "S.W.A.T." (2003), "The Fast And The Furious" (2001), "U-571" (2000), & "Dark Blue" (2002) is great! The story by James Ellroy (who also wrote the story to "Dark Blue", he also wrote the novels to movies like "The Black Dahlia" (2006) & "L.A. Confidential" (1997) & the upcoming "White Jazz" (2009) and the screenplay by Ellroy, Kurt Wimmer (who also wrote the story and screenplay to "Ultraviolet" (2006), "Equilibrium" (2002) (Wimmer also directed both of them), "The Recruit" (2003), he also wrote the screenplay to "The Thomas Crown Affair" (1999) & Jamie Moss is great! The music by Graeme Revell (who also did the music to "The Ruins" (2008) is great! The cinematography by Gabriel Beristain (who also did the cinematography to "S.W.A.T" & "The Invisible" (2007) is great! The film editing by Jeffrey Ford (who also did the film editing to "Breach" (2007) is great! The production design by Alec Hammond (who also did the production design to "Donnie Darko" (2001), "Southland Tales" (2007), & "The Box" (2008) is great! The set decoration by Hilton Rosemarin (who also did the set decoration to the upcoming "Marley & Me" (2008), he also did the set decoration to "Jumper" (2008), "Hellboy" (2004), "xXx" (2002), & "xXx: State Of The Union" (2005) is great! The costume design by Michele Michel (who also did the costume design to "Training Day" & "Harsh Times") is great! This is an great action-thriller that is in the vein of "Training Day" & "Dark Blue". This is another hit from David Ayer.

I am one of the first people to admit how small a range Keanu Reeves has in regards to acting skill. However, as The Matrix proved, even actors with the skill level of Reeves can get a part that winds up being perfect for their style or range of acting. Street Kings is such a movie and its easily Keanu's best performance since The Matrix. In fact one could argue that in regards to acting, that this performance is actually much better than his performance in The Matrix. In other words one could make the argument that this is Keanu's best work yet.

Street Kings excels on pretty much every level. It has an outstanding cast, it has a great story and it has about as perfect a pace as a crime drama dealing with this subject matter can have. It opens up fast and strong and it never drags. Why this film didn't receive more praise from the critics is beyond me. It's probably because the critics are biased when it comes to Keanu. They don't like him, never have and never will, regardless of how great a particular movie or a particular performance by Keanu really is.

This film is basically a superior version of Dark Blue. If you enjoy crime drama's, especially ones that have intelligent stories and involve some serious gun play, then you should absolutely give Street Kings a look. The casting is just outstanding and everyone gives a worthy performance especially Hugh Laurie, Forest Whitaker and Keanu Reeves. It would be nice to see Hugh Laurie in more roles like this as he really was just brilliant.

The bottom line - Street Kings is easily one of the best crime dramas of the last 10 years and one of the most underrated films I have seen in a very long time. Yes, it really is that good!