Street Kings (2008)

We've all heard the age old story of corruption within the police force, well "Street Kings" takes that story and sets it ablaze..., fair dues the story itself was somewhat predictable, but just because you know the destination you're heading to, doesn't mean the journey can't be fully enjoyable.The protagonist, Detective Ludlow, is a man on a mission, his mind scrambled by the recent death of his beloved wife, he pulls no punches even when he becomes embroiled in the framing of a police officer's murder, Ludlow sets out to uncover the mysteries that are haunting him. You could label "Street Kings" as just another crime film with Keanu Reeves inserted into the lead role, but it's more than that, Reeves showcases high standards of acting ability and makes you feel empathetic towards his poor detective character. The supporting cast features some real heavy hitters, most notably Forest Whitaker as Captain Wander, head of Detective Ludlow's unit, from the very beginning there was a sense that something was not quite right with this character, but any clues as to his real motives were expertly kept under wraps until the time came for him to reveal his true colours.A young, pre-Captain America Chris Evans showed real credibility and talent as Detective Diskant, a partner of sorts for Ludlow, who's natural demise came later in the film than I thought it would, giving the young actor some extra exposure and screen time, which he duly lapped up. Yes "Street Kings" is quite racist and incredibly tongue in cheek but that just adds to the realism, helping to flesh the film out and give it an added dimension, if you are easily offended by certain things then I'd definitely avoid this film.The presentation was dark and disturbing, illustrating the underbelly of LA perfectly..., the tones and colours chosen were apt and even during the daylight hours there was a sense of darkness in the air, painted onto the screen by a perfectly qualified cinematographer and art department, kudos to them..., drawing you further into the story and making the mystery more intriguing.Alas my final note is to say, not an exceptional film, but a fine film that will keep you gripped until the end, enjoy!

Tom Ludlow (Keanu Reeves) is an aggressive hardcore undercover LAPD vice cop. He breaks the rules to rescue two kidnapped girls and Captain Jack Wander (Forest Whitaker) supports him. His former partner Terrence Washington (Terry Crews) accuses him of misconduct and internal affairs Captain James Biggs (Hugh Laurie) investigates. Wander is getting a promotion over Biggs. Ludlow is on his way to confront Washington when two men shoot up the store killing Washington. One of Ludlow's shots accidentally ends up in Washington. Wander covers up for Ludlow and assigns him desk duty. New homicide detective Paul Diskant (Chris Evans) investigates Washington's murder.This is a rather formulaic police drama. The acting is a bit too hard. Everybody is trying too hard. Too much is laid out openly. It's laid out so much that it makes Ludlow looks stupid by not catching on. Keanu Reeves doesn't have any subtlety. He's full-on in damaged boy scout mode. This could be more murky and gritty. It's well made but lacks imagination and the intensity feels fake.

Street Kings (2008): Dir David Ayer / Cast: Keanu Reeves, Forest Whitaker, Hugh Laurie, Chris Evans, Cedric the Entertainer: Average cop action film about forced authority. Keanu Reeves plays a cop caught up in corrupt law enforcement when crime scenes are tampered with in favour of his innocence. When a partner is gunned down by two males, he sets out to find the killers and act his own brand of justice. Directed by David Ayer, the film contains explosive action with a well drawn plot until it gets dumbed down with revenge clichés that seem to run rampant in these films. Reeves does well as a detective pulled out of trouble only to witness the corruption first hand at the expense of an innocent. He eventually is reduced to the same corruption. Forest Whitaker plays the police captain whom covers up bad police conduct until becoming the victim of it himself. Others roles are not quite as broad but make good use of good actors. Hugh Laurie makes an appearance although perhaps more would have been nice. Chris Evans plays Reeves reluctant new partner who is caught at the wrong place at the wrong time and the handling of this is too sudden and brief for the character at hand. Cedric the Entertainer also makes an appearance but this film begins to lose substance fast. The film plays on entertainment over message but action lovers are the core audience. Score: 5 / 10

I thought that this might be a sort of diamond in the rough. Keanu Reeves comes back with some undiscovered show of promise, and to some extent it was although I was still somewhat disappointed. The film started out very badly, I actually began to wonder if I could do better personally, even in terms of the moving around parts, nevermind the actual speaking parts. Keanu Reeves was incredibly wooden, as is his way and I found that quite distressing (despite being an enormous Point Break fan). However, I found my laziness sufficient to avoid turning the film off and so continued to watch, at which point I actually started to enjoy it more. In summary, if you want some good cr*p to watch, this is your baby. Looking for a well written plot, good acting and any sense of realism then maybe shop around a little more. I know it gets hard when you're sad and have seen everything like me - but hey at least I'm not a film buff watching film noir yet.