The place is Los Angeles. The time is 5 days before the Rodney King verdict that would free four white police officers and spark a citywide riot. The players are a group of dirty Special Investigations Squad (SIS) officers in LA where the corruption goes all the way to the top. Eldon Perry is a third generation police officer who’s father and grandfather taught them everything they know from a simpler time when police officers were not held to the stricter policies of what is acceptable to bring in the bad guys. He lives and dies by this philosophy as he sees himself as somewhat of a hero who is doing the right thing by getting the crooks off the streets. The end justifies the means. He believes although his means may be questionable in the end he is accomplish good and making the world a safer place. He has a new young rookie partner Bobby Keough whom he is tutoring to be a police officer much like himself. But Assistant Chief Holland is about to declare war on the SIS ad their tactics that they use to solve crimes. Amidst the racially charged and much turmoil strewn landscape that were LA days before the LA Riots he has decided enough is enough and these dirty police officers must be brought to justice.

This movie is somewhat traditional of the bad cop movies genre and would have been a lot more powerful in 1991 during that tense time of police brutality rather than today when much of it has been forgotten with more pressing matters like terrorism. The movie does an excellent job at making you see both sides of a complex situation and still selling the point that such excess is wrong and can be just as harmful as the crimes it is used to stop. Kurt Russell does a superb job as the bad guy who is haunted by inner demons that make him into a monster. He also does a good job showing us how those demons are maybe not what he wants or wanted but can’t seem to escape the cycle of violence. Ving Rhames though was a disappointment as he never really sells his part and just doesn’t seem like the kind of man who would be after such justice. Also his part is too limited for him to successfully pull it off. Scott Speedman also only pulls through with a lackluster effort until the end of the movie when he finally seems to come out of his coma and make you care for his character. This is a good movie that just didn’t seem to accomplish everything it set out to do. Still a good recommendation for a matinee.
3 stars out of 5