 
Street Kings
a.k.a. “The Night Watchman,” “Night Watch”
MPAA Rating:
 for strong violence and pervasive languageReviewed by: Rachelle Smotherman Very Offensive
Moviemaking Quality:
Average
Primary Audience:
Adults
Genre:
Crime, Thriller, Drama
Length:
1 hr. 49 min.
Year of Release:
2008
USA Release:
April 11, 2008 (wide - 2500 theaters)
“Their city. Their rules. No prisoners.” “Street Kings” is the story of a corrupt police department that justifies its actions in order to bring justice to the people… or so it seems. Keanu Reeves plays Detective Tom Ludlow, played by Keanu Reeves, who under the supervision of Captain Jack Wander, Forest Whitaker’s character, has a green light to break whatever laws necessary to catch criminals. Ludlow finds himself questioning his loyalties while investigating the murder of a fellow detective. Granted, this isn’t an innovative police movie. Much of the script has already been played out previously in several other films, but during this movie, the viewer is left wondering who to trust and what’s really behind the character’s motives. There is just enough action and guess work to keep the audience intrigued. Given its genre, “Street Kings” has over-the-top, graphic violence in several scenes, foul language littered throughout and plenty of characters with questionable morals. I would not recommend it for teens. That being said, this movie isn’t entirely dark and grim. Several characters provide a fresh dose of integrity and offer hope that good can triumph over evil. Violence: Heavy / Profanity: Heavy / Sex/Nudity: Mild See list of Relevant Issues—questions-and-answers.   Movie Critics
“…a shrill, brutal bash set in contemporary L.A. or something like it… feels dislocated and artificial… and I couldn’t get past Reeves’ unsuitability to his role…” “…A criminally bad cop thriller… laughably clichéd dialogue, one-dimensional characters and implausible turns of events.…” “…captures Ellroy's rugged energy and peculiar tone—part dirty-cop realism, part surreal exercise in ultraviolence… Pretty-boy star sullies hard-charging ‘Street Kings’…” “…‘Street Kings,’ the cinematic equivalent of gangsta rap, has a slight credibility problem, although this may not be an issue for people who get off on this sort of grossly violent and profane lowbrow entertainment.…” “…the movie belongs to Reeves, who at 43 is finally starting to look like an adult, with greater heft all round. He does Clint proud.” “…David Ayer… directs with enough flash to keep the action crisp and nasty. But he can't swagger his way through Ellroy's swampy storyline, which traps its characters in cynicism and amorality.…” |
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