The only thing about this film that resembles Training Day is, well, the screenplay writer David Ayer. Yes, we have a corrupt and ruthless cop, but not anywhere close to the disturbing type of corruption Denzel Washington portrayed. In fact, this story was like comparing apples and oranges and saying because they are both fruit they are alike. I am also a little taken back that Ayer chose to backdrop this storyline with the LA riots of 1992, a wound that is still a little raw for those that live in Southern California. Kurt Russell (Vanilla Sky) is the very troubled and ruthless Sgt. Eldon Perry, Jr. He is part of a special unit of the police department in Los Angeles. This unit is not a special renegade department the trailer would like you to believe. In fact, the corruption comes from its leader Jack Van Meter (Brenan Gleeson, Gangs of New York). What is most disturbing about this film is how it reopens the wounds of South Central residents and makes ominous references to the fact the city will burn like Watts in 1965, even though they had no way of knowing this.

After showing the Rodney King beating take place the movie jumps ahead in time to the Simi Valley trial of those four cops accused. Dark Blue opens the actual story with an internal investigation to determine if Bobby Keough (Scott Speedman) the rookie to the special unit made a clean shoot in the death of a suspected criminal. Bobby is the nephew to Van Meter and the new partner to Perry. The shooting was determined clean, only Deputy Chief Arthur Holland (Ving Rhames, Undisputed) knows the truth, he just can’t prove it yet. The truth is Bobby panicked and dropped his piece while Perry shot the suspect in the head. They let Bobby take the rap to save him embarrassment and avoid another query into yet another one of Perry’s shootings. Twenty career cops combined fire their weapons less than in their careers total than Perry does in a single month. Meanwhile two street thugs Orchard (Kurupt) and Sidwell (Dash Mihok, The Perfect Storm) rob a convenience store while shooting all the witnesses, but only stole a safe. As it turns out, this robbery was ordered by Van Meter and the two street thugs are informants that work for Van Meter. Perry and Bobby are assigned to investigate because a police dispatcher was among one of the victims. Perry figures out who robbed the convenience store and why when he puts two and two together, but only after Van Meter makes him set up two other thugs instead. This is where the similarities to Training Day emerge slightly. Bobby is conflicted with his orders and his partner so he turns to his new main squeeze Sgt Beth Williamson (Michael Michele, How to Lose a Guy in Ten Days) who is the assistant to you guessed it, Deputy Chief Holland. After this the film moves fast and furious through the situations unfolding for Perry, Bobby and Van Meter as well as the riot is now breaking out. The director Ron Shelton used actual footage of the truck driver being hauled from his truck and other disturbing images to draw you into all the turmoil.

Russell was remarkable as the driven and tainted hero who comes from a long line of lawman or gun-slingers. Rhames role was completely underutilized. I would have preferred him to be more in their face instead of sitting on the outside as war breaks out. Overall this film was well done and fast paced. Others appearing in Dark Blue were Lolita Davidovich as Perry’s wife Sally, Jonathan Banks, Khandi Alexander as Holland’s wife Janelle, Dara Lee and Marin Hinkle. I don’t agree with the background storyline, but I am sure others that were not in Southern California when the riots broke out would feel as strongly as I do. So I give Dark Blue eight couches, despite my concerns.

Last updated: Thursday, March 20, 2008 02:46:11 AM

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