Street Kings

2008 "Their city. Their rules. No prisoners."
6.8| 1h49m| R| en| More Info
Released: 10 April 2008 Released
Producted By: Fox Searchlight Pictures
Country: United States of America
Budget: 0
Revenue: 0
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Synopsis

Tom Ludlow is a disillusioned L.A. Police Officer, rarely playing by the rules and haunted by 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.

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Stephen Bird 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!
Jackson Booth-Millard As with many films in similar genres, I was mainly attracted to this film because of the stellar cast in it, it was rated relatively low by critics, but I was going to watch it anyway, written by James Ellroy (L.A. Confidential), directed by David Ayer (End of Watch, Sabotage, Fury). Basically LAPD Detective Tom Ludlow (Keanu Reeves) is a ruthlessly efficient unorthodox undercover cop, he is haunted by the death of his wife, he becomes obsessed with trying to track down the men who killed her. It is after his former partner Detective Terrence Washington (Terry Crews) is killed Ludlow's mission to find street gangs gets personal, Captain Jack Wander (Forest Whitaker) is concerned for his methods for going above and beyond the call of duty are no longer approved, it is reported to Internal Affairs Captain James Biggs (Hugh Laurie), and apparently an investigation against Ludlow is started. In order to complete his mission Ludlow teams up with fresh-faced Robbery Homicide Detective Paul "Disco" Diskant (Chris Evans) to trace the killers through the city streets, later the duo come face to face with the cruel cop killers, they must decide whether they are to uphold the law or seek bitter vengeance. Also starring Cedric the Entertainer as Scribble, Small Soldiers' Jay Mohr as Sergeant Mike Clady, Naomie Harris as Linda Washington, rapper Common as Coates, rapper The Game as Grill, Martha Higareda as Grace Garcia, John Corbett as Detective Dante Demille and Daryl Gates as The Chief. Reeves doesn't quite fit the part, Laurie doing his decent American accent isn't on screen a lot, neither is Whitaker, and Evans is alright, to be completely honest I couldn't follow this film very well because I got bored, it has many clichés as well, only the action sequences perhaps got my attention, overall it's an almost forgettable crime thriller drama. Adequate!
Mr-Fusion Admittedly, David Ayer movies are hit-or-miss for me (leaning more toward miss), but even with James Ellroy writing the thing, "Street Kings" is surprisingly limp. Yet another film dealing with ingrained corruption and racism in the LAPD, this one has a lineup of seasoned and capable acting talent. Reeves, to his credit, is playing against type here as a disillusioned cop who's going beyond department policy and conscience. I mean, he is out there. But this is oddly stale material that never really becomes exciting. There are shootouts, and double-dealings, sure, but . . . eh. The one thing that really surprised me here (even back in 2008, before he nailed the role of Captain America) is that Chris Evans is really the highlight of this cast. Forrest Whitaker on the other hand . . . well, by the end, when the evil operation comes crashing down, the guy just sort of veers off into some sort of comical parody. It's bizarre when that man is the weak link in your film.5/10
Leftbanker If you disagree with my title summary I defy you to list better movies in this genre from the past decade. If you're looking for watchable action movies these days you have to look pretty hard. I could count on one hand how many decent cop thrillers I've seen lately. Street Kings, even with its flaws, is a solid piece of crime drama with some iconic action scenes.Screenplay by James Elroy. I didn't know this before watching the movie but the quality is evident at every step along the way in the drama. The action scenes are intense and there is a lot of tension created to make those scenes resound even more deeply. I think this may be the only movie where I actually liked Keanu Reeves. I've tolerated him before but he's good in this role. Forest Whitaker is another matter. Ever since his over-the-top (read: bad) performance in The Shield series it's obvious that he's either a really bad actor or a one trick pony.The opening few scenes are enough to validate your admission ticket. There are a few other good scenes and a few bad ones but I stand behind my initial statement. I suppose that my praise for this film says a lot more about the sad state of movies these days than it does for the quality of Street Kings.