Tuesday, February 25, 2003
Copyright © Las Vegas Review-Journal

R-JENERATION: Keeping track of bad cops challenges audience of 'Dark Blue'

Kurt Russell, left, and Ving Rhames have differing views of police work in "Dark Blue."

Starring Kurt Russell as Sgt. Eldon Perry Jr., the typical "bad cop" who loves to shoot people, and Scott Speedman as Detective Bobby Keough, Perry's young partner who hasn't yet acquired a taste for killing suspects, "Dark Blue" is a fast-paced movie with an unrealistic ending.

Ving Rhames plays Deputy Chief Arthur Holland who is dedicated to bringing morality back to the Los Angeles Police Department. He fits the "good cop" image.

The plot is basic "good cop versus bad cop," only it takes an hour and a half to find out who is the real bad cop. The only thing that saved me from boredom at the movie's beginning was Bobby and Eldon's personal drama, but the last half-hour picked up tremendously.

Set in the days before the officers tried for the Rodney King beating were acquitted, the movie is full of racist undertones. Eldon and Bobby are assigned a quadruple homicide, which their boss, Jack Van Meter (Brendan Gleeson), is responsible for.

The partners figure out that Jack's pet snitches, a black and white duo, killed four innocent people and shot a fifth while stealing a safe full of dirty money for -- no surprise here -- Jack. When they mention this to Jack, he blows up and tells them to find different suspects.

The partners frame by means of blackmail and calling in favors two men who match the description of the real suspects. Both framed suspects end up dead.

While all of the action is taking place, Holland is trying to bring down corrupt officers and become the first black LAPD police chief. Needless to say, he has his work cut out for him.

However, it takes awhile to figure out exactly who Holland is after. His first corrupt cop has a change of heart and agrees to help Holland bring down the real bad cop. Then the real bad cop has a change of heart and decides to bring himself down along with the true good cop.

The story isn't hard to follow, just the corrupt cops. There are so many it is hard to keep track of who shot which framed suspect. The plot is similar to that of "Training Day" with Denzel Washington and Ethan Hawke; however, the acting in "Training Day" is better than in "Dark Blue."

The not-so-surprising ending is unrealistic but successfully completes the story line. The movie's last shot has the reformed bad cop looking out over a smoky City of Angels as the Rodney King riots set it on fire. Although the movie is stereotypical, it is a good waste of two hours.

Grade: C+