"S.W.A.T."

[dh1989]

Even Cops Dial 911

"S.W.A.T."

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Plot: "Meet Jim Street (Farrell), a former S.W.A.T. team member, who along with his partner Brian Gamble (Renner), is thrown off the team in the aftermath of a controversial decision they made during a robbery/hostage standoff. Gamble quits the force in disgust, but for Street, being a policeman is his life and he agrees to a demotion, hoping to someday have the chance to redeem himself and once again wear the privileged S.W.A.T. uniform.

Street gets that chance when team commander Dan “Hondo” Harrelson (Jackson) is assigned to recruit and train five top-notch cops for a new Special Weapons and Tactics unit (S.W.A.T.). The other members of the new team Hondo recruits are Deacon “Deke” Kaye (Cool J), Chris Sanchez (Rodriguez), Michael Boxer (Van Holt) and T.J. McCabe (Charles).

After weeks of demanding physical training, the new S.W.A.T. team is quickly thrown into action when a notorious drug lord Alex Montel (Martinez), audaciously offers a $100 million bounty to anyone who can free him from police custody. As they escort the kingpin out of Los Angeles and into the hands of the Feds, they are pursued by a ruthless and well-armed band of mercenaries."

Directed By: Clark Johnson (TV's "The West Wing").

Screenplay By: David Ayer (The Fast & The Furious) and David McKenna (American History X).

Produced By: Dan Halsted (Any Given Sunday), Chris Lee (Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within), and Neal H. Moritz (Sweet Home Alabama).

Genres: Action, Thriller, Adventure, and Crime.

MPAA Rating: "PG-13," for violence, language and sexual references.

Starring: Samuel L. Jackson (Changing Lanes), Colin Farrell (Minority Report), Jeremy Renner (Monkey Love), Michelle Rodriguez (Resident Evil), Josh Charles (Things To Do In Denver When You're Dead), LL Cool J (Deep Blue Sea), Brian Van Holt (Black Hawk Down), Olivier Martinez (Before Night Falls), and Matt Gerald (Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines).

Thoughts: I am REALLY looking forward to this film. I am not a huge fan of action films, but this one looks energetic, fresh, funny, and exciting. Plus, it has two of my favorite actors, Jackson and Farrell, on the marquee. I have no doubt that this will be the definintion of a fun, blow 'em up action extravaganza.

A Columbia Pictures Release.

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Click here (http://us.imdb.com/Trailers?0257076) for the trailer!

[Tom Samborski]

This is my most anticipated film this August. The action scenes look very exciting.

[jolanar]

Im seeing this movie for two reasons.

Colin Farrel and Samuel L. Jackson

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[The Delfonics]

Im excited for the BIG movie debut of Jeremy Renner!! Wee

His name:
Jeremy Renner

My name:
Derek Renner

WE is related...

[Wurms]

Looks like garbage to me. I will wait to rent this one. Doesn't seem to really offer anything new. Just another gun action movie.

[Scarface98.9]

I'm looking forward to it, since it's one of the only interesting-looking movies this August. I like the leads, so I'm hoping for the best

[Strider]

Well, August is certainly shaping up to be a pretty boring month for movies, and "S.W.A.T." is one of a couple movies this month that actually interest me. The movie doesn't look that great, but with it's solid ensemble cast, it could very well be a fun time at the movies. I'll be checking it out, for sure.

Strider

[jolanar]

Originally posted by The Delfonics
Im excited for the BIG movie debut of Jeremy Renner!! Wee

His name:
Jeremy Renner

My name:
Derek Renner

WE is related...

Are you really related? How close?

[Horror whore]

Mmmmmmm... Colin Farrel, I'm there. ;)

[darkface]

Originally posted by Horror whore
Mmmmmmm... Colin Farrel, I'm there. ;)

couldn't agree with you more. That Irish little fucka is an extrodinary actor, and i'll see anything with him in it right now.


BTW, if anyone plays Counter-Strike (AKA CS) doesn't this look like a movies for the CT'S?
That's the way i'll take this movie, it's not so much a movie based on the tv series, but from the GAME lol. Cause they look Identical to the game.
http://www.gpstore.co.nz/images/games/1455843.jpg

[daddiefatsacks]

why did they cop out and go with a pg-13 rating.

im not saying excessive violence and language make a movie, but it certainly makes it more fun and there is lots more eye-candy (see Bad Boys II and Terminator 3)

[Strider]

Originally posted by daddiefatsacks
why did they cop out and go with a pg-13 rating.

im not saying excessive violence and language make a movie, but it certainly makes it more fun and there is lots more eye-candy (see Bad Boys II and Terminator 3)

I agree. I was actually hoping "S.W.A.T." would get an R-rating, since it's premise, story, and concept sounds like an R. But what can you do? An R-rating means less money, a PG-13 means more money....

Strider

[dh1989]

I'm glad it's "PG-13." That means they might actually have to work hard to make the action fun, rather than having a few guns, a striptease, and a bucket of severed limbs. Very few "R" rated films of the last decade have been any more than "okay."

[dellamorte dellamore]

This looks like a cross between Res Evil , Bad Boys , and Matrix . A film i like to call movies for guys that like movies , and the women that love them .


It's a bravado fest , disposable entertainment of the highest order . Like a half way decent one night rendevous , it should give you a little shot of epeinephrine , then you'll forget about it not long after . It's all strutting and pimping for the camera , with self concious performances all around , but no matter i will be seeing this , because like Bad Boys 2 , i know exactly what i'm getting , and i doubt it will disappoint , except for the fact that M Rod and Carrel are getting on my nreves a bit . M Rod just can't seem to break out of her tough girl typecasting , and Carrel is becoming a bit overexposed ( god he was just laughable in Daredevil ) , although some women ( and guys that go that way ) can't seem to get enough of him , for a straight male , i'm getting tired of seeing him in so many damn films . He's allright in limited exposer , just like M rod . And is Sam Jack going to play anything other than the tough black guy in any of his films , that act is also getting old . Colin Salmon from Res Evil is an example of how to play the tough leader without devolving into cliche .


So , i say it once again , go ahead and get in touch with your masculine side , just don't expect to be blown away or for the film to linger too long after you witness it .


And , why oh why does everyone and their stepmother have to copy the matrix , can someone please make an action film without fx ripped from those two films . Although i'm looking forward to Underworld and that one rips visuals from thoise films .

[Strider]

Originally posted by dh1989
I'm glad it's "PG-13." That means they might actually have to work hard to make the action fun, rather than having a few guns, a striptease, and a bucket of severed limbs. Very few "R" rated films of the last decade have been any more than "okay."

I don't know about that, Dh. I can think of lots of "R" rated films from the last decade that were very good. And I do believe "R" rated action films can be just as fun or even more fun than your standard "PG-13" ones. "Bad Boys II" is a recent one that comes to mind, as well as a film like "The Matrix" and "Speed" among others....

Strider

[AgentSmith]

This film will be great for two reasons..

1. Colin
2. Farrell

The man is an insanely good actor who will win an oscar someday...

Everything he is in is gold!

[Jim H]

Originally posted by dh1989
I'm glad it's "PG-13." That means they might actually have to work hard to make the action fun, rather than having a few guns, a striptease, and a bucket of severed limbs. Very few "R" rated films of the last decade have been any more than "okay."

If you count the 90s, I generally disagree. A lot of the best films of the 90s are R. 7 of the best picture winners from 1990 to 2000, point in fact... Films like Pulp Fiction, Sling Blade, and other films like that of the 90s..

This film should of been R, as a film like this should have realistic violence. not over the top gore or anything, just realistic bullet hits. All that this means is people will get shot and there will be a puff of clothing moving, instead of a squib. It's lame.

[dh1989]

Originally posted by Jim H
Films like Pulp Fiction, Sling Blade, and other films like that of the 90s..

Um, we're talking in context of action movies. While Sling Blade and Pulp Fiction are great films, they're definitely NOT action films.

[Nate6]

I think the greatest action film of the 1990s is Speed, and that was rated R.

But I don't give 2 1/2 craps about ratings because the MPAA are hypocritical blowhards and the difference between PG-13 and R is negligible.

Back on topic, I think this has the potential to kick ass (a la Speed, The Rock) or suck (like Speed 2). What's important is that the film stays focused. It should keep suspenseful, engaging, and exciting, and not veer off too much into unnecessary back-story crap. I usually like character development but I think in this case it probably works against the movie. The bad guy needs to be just evil enough, and the good guys stoic and believeable enough, for this to work. I have high hopes.

[dh1989]

Since 'Nate6' has said his opinion which action film is the best of the 90's, I figured I should too, so the answer is: Terminator 2: Judgement Day (1991).

[Nate6]

Originally posted by dh1989
Since 'Nate6' has said his opinion which action film is the best of the 90's, I figured I should too, so the answer is: Terminator 2: Judgement Day (1991).

That's a damn good choice too...it'd be up there on my list.

[Strider]

Originally posted by Nate6
Back on topic, I think this has the potential to kick ass (a la Speed, The Rock) or suck (like Speed 2). What's important is that the film stays focused. It should keep suspenseful, engaging, and exciting, and not veer off too much into unnecessary back-story crap. I usually like character development but I think in this case it probably works against the movie. The bad guy needs to be just evil enough, and the good guys stoic and believeable enough, for this to work. I have high hopes.

Well, Nate, I hope "S.W.A.T." turns out to be everything you want to it to be like, because I hope the movie's good as well... :D

Strider

[HHH123007]

I have two free tickets to see it on Thursday, but I'm not really that excited to go see it.

But a free movie is a free movie....;)

[dellamorte dellamore]

Although i like surprises , the main reason i'm going to see this is because i'm positive their won't be any , just two hours of over the top action . And i doubt this will be anyone's favorite film of the 00's or something , i have to say it again , it's disposable entertainment . A film such as The Magdalene Sisters or Secret lives of Dentists are ones that i will ponder and pontificate about for years , this one will get me a bit excited for 2 hours , and then i'll move on to the next cool action pic , whatever it may be .

Swat like so many other films of it's kind is akin to spending a wild weekend ( or night ) with some hot babe , doing some crazy stuff , but you have no intention of marrying her , and you;ll probably forget about her once someone your serious about comes along . It's not exactly a bad , it's just is what it is , and nothing more .

[Strider]

Originally posted by dellamorte dellamore
Swat like so many other films of it's kind is akin to spending a wild weekend ( or night ) with some hot babe , doing some crazy stuff , but you have no intention of marrying her , and you;ll probably forget about her once someone your serious about comes along . It's not exactly a bad , it's just is what it is , and nothing more.

Wow! Dellamorte, your summarization of "S.W.A.T." sounds almost perfect, despite the fact that neither of us have seen the movie yet... :D

Strider

[dellamorte dellamore]

Come on , be serious , do you think it's going to be anything out of the ordinary mindless action flick ?

[Strider]

Originally posted by dellamorte dellamore
Come on , be serious , do you think it's going to be anything out of the ordinary mindless action flick ?

Are you kidding, Dellamorte? No way. I agree with you right there. "S.W.A.T.", at best, will be nothing more than a brain-dead popcorn flick, it certainly isn't going to revolutionize the action genre.

Strider

[dellamorte dellamore]

Not that there's anything wrong with that . :)

Oh yeah , it looks like they threw in the obligatory cute family and girlfriend moments to " flesh " out the characters .


By the way , is it me , or does M Rod look infinitely better when she's not dressed down playing the tough bitch ?

[Strider]

Originally posted by dellamorte dellamore
By the way , is it me , or does M Rod look infinitely better when she's not dressed down playing the tough bitch ?

Well, when has she ever not played the "tough bitch" ? I guess that could be "Blue Crush", but I wouldn't know, since I haven't seen it. All I know is that everything from "Girlfight", to "The Fast and the Furious", to "Resident Evil", and now "S.W.A.T.", she has played the "tough bitch"....

Strider

[Alf-Life]

Actually, I'm really looking forward to this.

Aside from the top-notch actors, I'm really into the whole SWAT thing, and the last movie I saw on this subject 'Rogue Force' I loved, although it wasn't commercially successful.

Hopefully this movie will be like Heat in that it mixes action with really good character development and story.

[XCoRyX]

this flick looks awesome and solid,definetly a must see.

[dellamorte dellamore]

Wasn't heat made before all the Matrix hype ? It was all the better for it , because the shootouts were brutally realistic without any Matrix style slow mo . My problem with SWAT is that it utilizes the obligatory bullet time and fantastical action sequences ala Matrix . Can someone just make a down and dirty shootout anymore without all that other silly nonsense thrown in . Come on already , i'm getting a headache from every damn action film using the same freakin' visuals , the big budget ones at least , they are all starting to look the same . Replace the actors with some others , change the storyline a bit and most big studio action films are the same .


I'll still see this , but i'll be rolling my eyes when the Matrix sequences kick in .

[Jim H]

Originally posted by dellamorte dellamore
Wasn't heat made before all the Matrix hype ? It was all the better for it , because the shootouts were brutally realistic without any Matrix style slow mo . My problem with SWAT is that it utilizes the obligatory bullet time and fantastical action sequences ala Matrix . Can someone just make a down and dirty shootout anymore without all that other silly nonsense thrown in . Come on already , i'm getting a headache from every damn action film using the same freakin' visuals , the big budget ones at least , they are all starting to look the same . Replace the actors with some others , change the storyline a bit and most big studio action films are the same .


I'll still see this , but i'll be rolling my eyes when the Matrix sequences kick in .

How do you know there Matrix-esque scenes? I haven't seen anything like that in the trailer. And, some of the slow mo you see is really inspired by Woo, which is part of the style the Wachowski's tried to pick at (but failed).

Oh yeah, and Heat would of been Heat regardless - it's a Micheal Mann film, and he's been doing good shootouts for 25 years, in Heat-like style.

[Mike]

I wish I wanted to see this, but I don't. It looks kind of stupid. The trailer and TV spots are so lame and generic and boring. It reminds me of another "S" movie based on a TV show that I didn't and don't want to see-----SHAFT. Before seeing the trailer or TV spots I thought it sounded like it could be good, but now that I've seen them, I don't have any interest in seeing it at all.

Even if the reviews are decent, I probably won't even check it out on video.

[Hannibal21]

This has been one of my most anticipated films for the summer, I'll be seeing it for sure!

[Scarface98.9]

Originally posted by Mike
I wish I wanted to see this, but I don't. It looks kind of stupid. The trailer and TV spots are so lame and generic and boring. It reminds me of another "S" movie based on a TV show that I didn't and don't want to see-----SHAFT. Before seeing the trailer or TV spots I thought it sounded like it could be good, but now that I've seen them, I don't have any interest in seeing it at all.

Even if the reviews are decent, I probably won't even check it out on video.
But you at least rented Swept Away, which got the worst reviews of 2002, or close to it, and ended up enjoying it, but won't give SWAT a chance at all?

[dh1989]

Compuserve:


New York busses are now advertising The History Channel,
stating "Even astronauts have heroes," a tag line that one
suspects could have been copied from the catchy one for Clark
Johnson's new movie "S.W.A.T." "Even cops dial 911." Cute.
Long before the conclusion of the action-adventure pic based on
a not-so-well-regarded 1970's TV series, we can see why the
typical out-of-shape police officer at least here in New York
City is no match for this elite force. In L.A., particularly in
hostage situations, the cop on the beat simply does not have the
training that these guys have (I use the term "guys" because to
date there are no women on the force of Strategic Weapons
and Tactics, the most prestigious division in the L.A.P.D). Yet
another conclusion, not so sanguine about the movie, is that it
comes across as a moving recruitment poster for S.W.A.T.
showing off its macho members, carefully chosen, each with a
different specialty, each weighed down with thirty pounds of
armor and whatever weapon he specializes in. In that regard,
we can compare this effort to Philip Kaufman's 1983 film "The
Right Stuff," a flag-waving look at the birth of America's space
program and the first astronauts all designed by Tom Wolfe's
book to bring out the colors.

Opening with a robbery by black-hooded men who carry
automatic weapons and mean business, "S.W.A.T." makes a
questionable hero out of handsome officer Jim Street (Colin
Farrell), who accidentally shoots a hostage--getting him into hot
water with the captain for defying an order to stand down.
When Lt. Dan "Hondo" Harrelson (Samuel L. Jackson) insists
that not only Street be on his S.W.A.T. team of six and even
recruits a woman, Chris Sanchez (Michelle Rodriguez), the
stage is set for a cat-and-mouse game between the six and a
newly-captured international bandit, Alex (Olivier Martinez), who
is wanted in ten countries for drug selling and arms smuggling.
As Alex is scheduled to be taken from the local jail to a federal
prison, he offers $100 million to anyone who can spring him out,
an offer which a few corrupt cops and a number of others could
not resist. (How exactly Alex can be trusted to pay off and
where his benefactor could go to find safety from an inevitable,
international manhunt is another question, but action-adventure
pictures ask us to suspend disbelief).

Olivier Martinez is the best thing about the pic, performing in
the role of a ruthless outlaw who is well groomed, speaks good
English with a French accent, and is called a Frog three times
by those who are chasing him. Martinez, acting as Diane
Lane's lover in "Unfaithful" is known for work in art-house fare
like "Before Night Falls" and "The Chambermaid on the Titanic,"
but does well here, showing himself to be anything but a small-
time hoodlum. Others in the cast do workmanlike acting, with
Michelle Rodriguez, who got notice from Hollywood for her role
in "Girlfight," flashing her usual don't-mess-with-me scowl
throughout (except for showing herself to be one of the guys by
roaring with laughter during her S.W.A.T. team party).

While "S.W.A.T." is calculated to get the adrenalin pumping,
an almost non-stop string of episodes filmed in seventy-five L.A.
locations, there's nothing here that we have not already seen.
Give it credit, though, for cluing in us in the audience who would
never get a chance to take a look at the Marine-line training
camps that put the recruits through their paces.

While we realize that the three divisions of national
service The Army, the Navy and the Marine Corps frequently
compete with one another, we may not have understood how
much backbiting exists within one large city's S.W.A.T. team.
The captain has issues with the guys who defied his order
during the bank robbery and, like Yasser Arafat hoping that his
prime minister will fail, is determined to humiliate the guys who
went over the top and force them out of the division, or even out
of the force altogether. The brother of Jim Street's 28-year-old
girl friend, a fellow on the team, razzes Street regularly, blaming
him for the young woman's desertion. Gamble hates Street the
most, believing that Street sold him out in order to stay on the
force. The moments of psychological tension in some cases
outweigh the traditional car chases, explosions, and chopper
escapades making "S.W.A.T." worthwhile summer
entertainment.

Also, Ebert & Roeper gave it TWO THUMBS UP!

[Strider]

Originally posted by dh1989
Also, Ebert & Roeper gave it TWO THUMBS UP!

Yeah, that most certainly a surprise. When I watched their show last Sunday night, I really thought they were going to give it "two thumbs down", but I guess not. Those two can be slighty unpredictable sometimes.... :D

Strider

[Subotai]

Listening to their review, it sounded like they gave it points for a sort of off-beat realism, a lack of contrivance - of course, they compared it to Bad Boys 2; a Steven Seagal film is a documentary in comparison.

The director, Clark Johnson, has done a lot of H:LOTS and L&O eps so he probably knows the nuts and bolts of a solid story and solid direction.

I'm there.

[Inglorious]

I seriously can't wait for this! Colin Farrel is a GREAT actor, I love all of his work so far!!

[t3h Qster]

I'll be there, gotta give my man LL his props

[Mike]

But you at least rented Swept Away, which got the worst reviews of 2002, or close to it, and ended up enjoying it, but won't give SWAT a chance at all?

That's because I actually thought Swept Away looked pretty decent. And I thought it was OK. It never bored me. You make it sound like I really really liked it. Plus, I love movies that take place on beaches/islands with lots of sun. So that's another reason Swept Away appealed to me. I could care less about the reviews. The movie ended up not even being as bad as reviews had suggested anyway. Besides, I just think S.W.A.T. looks stupid and the TV spots are lame and generic. I have no interest in it, where I did have interest in Swept Away. I can't help what I want to see and what I don't want to see. Besides, if I wanted to see S.W.A.T. really really bad and I was obsessed with it, that would make you want to see it even less. So this way I'm doing you a favor and making you want to see it and love it even more ;).

[Scooter]

i'm looking forward to this... Colin Farrel is not over rated IMO, he is a great actor. Samuel L Jackson is THE MAN, and the action scenes look to be great... anyone know how long this movie is slated at?

[dh1989]

Originally posted by Scooter
anyone know how long this movie is slated at?

111 minutes, according to Yahoo! Movies.

P.S. I am glad it's not any longer. I think an action film can become tiresome once it passes the 120 minute mark (xXx and Bad Boys II).

[AgentSmith]

Ebert and Roeper both gave it two thumbs up saying:

-Great action
-Great acting by Jackson and Farell
-BETTER THAN BAD BOYS II
-The best cop film since Training Day
-All the stunts look like the could be done
-Very tense action

[Jim H]

-BETTER THAN BAD BOYS II
-The best cop film since Training Day

Wow. What bold statements. :p

[MadsenOMC]

Whatever Ebert & Roeper say about a movie, usually the opposite is true. For me anyway. I have to agree with Mike about SWAT. Looks pretty generic to me. They had a good premise and could have gone somewhere interesting with it, but apparently they don't.

[dellamorte dellamore]

Yeah , Colin Farrel was great in Daredevil . No , seriously he was pretty piss poor and way to over the top to be taken seriously in that film . Does he really have to be in every other film , lately it seems like he is . I'm surprised he wasn't in Pirates .


And S Jackson only knows how to play any role one way , strutting , and the act has worn thin . It would have been nice if they could have found someone else to play his part , someone who knows a little something about subtlety . But , this is another offering by Sony , so over the top is the order of the day .



But all that won't make a difference , i'm sure it will be entertaining , but no doubt , nothing groundbreaking or original , and i'm sure it will make a couple of bucks in it's theatrical run .




And when Roger Ebert makes the claim that SWAT is superior to BB2 , i would say , it's not exactly a stretch to top that film with regards to character development and acting . The characterizations in that film were shallow at best . But , who cares what Ebert and Roeper think , i could care less , if you like action films , i'm almost 100 percent positive that you won't be disappointed .


Just one thing , why is Ebert saying it's the best cop film since Training Day , besides Training Day being primarily a drama with very little action , and the fact that Narc was also an excellent cop film , i don't see how you can compare the two films .

[ColinM]

Originally posted by Mike
You make it sound like I really really liked it.

I didn't get that impression. All he said was "and ended up enjoying it".

Anyway, I have no interest whatsoever in S.W.A.T.. David Ayer is a horrible writer. His script for The Fast and the Furious (3/10) is one of the worst, and the only reason Training Day (6/10) was half-decent was because of Denzel's improvising. In interviews and stuff you can tell Ayer is a fraud trying to pretend he's cool and "from the streets", and you can see evidence of this in his shitty scripts. I doubt S.W.A.T. will be any different.

[dh1989]

Originally posted by ColinM
David Ayer is a horrible writer.

But it also co-written by a great screenwriter, David McKenna, who was behind American History X, so he could level it out.

[Mike]

Originally posted by MadsenOMC
I have to agree with Mike about SWAT. Looks pretty generic to me. They had a good premise and could have gone somewhere interesting with it, but apparently they don't.

Exactly! That's what I think. I think they could have done something interesting with it, but then when I saw the trailer and TV spots, I just got this generic feel and it failed to interest me even in the slightest.

Originally posted by ColinM
I didn't get that impression. All he said was "and ended up enjoying it".

But still, "enjoying" it just seems like too high of a compliment for that movie, and it makes it sound like I liked it more than I really did. I wouldn't exactly say I "enjoyed" it, I just thought it was OK. It wasn't boring and I did like the sun and the beach/island setting, and I didn't think it was as downright horrible as some said.

[Scarface98.9]

Originally posted by Mike

But still, "enjoying" it just seems like too high of a compliment for that movie, and it makes it sound like I liked it more than I really did. I wouldn't exactly say I "enjoyed" it, I just thought it was OK. It wasn't boring and I did like the sun and the beach/island setting, and I didn't think it was as downright horrible as some said.
Enjoyed, thought it was ok, whatever, point is, you at least gave it a shot. It seems like you rent pretty much every new release, so I'm just a tad surprised you won't even give this a NetFlix rental

[ColinM]

Originally posted by dh1989
But it also co-written by a great screenwriter, David McKenna, who was behind American History X, so he could level it out.

Maybe, but my hopes still aren't high.

[Mike]

Originally posted by Scarface98.9
Enjoyed, thought it was ok, whatever, point is, you at least gave it a shot. It seems like you rent pretty much every new release, so I'm just a tad surprised you won't even give this a NetFlix rental

I like to give most movies a chance, but I usually have to be at least "slightly" interested in them if I'm going to check them out. This one always turns me off with its trailers and TV spots. I just think they are really bad and they make me not want to see it at all. Maybe someday I'll see it, most likely when it's not a new release anymore, but for the moment, I'm just not interested in it.

[Inglorious]

Well, there seem to be alot of debates going on over this film. I don't really know what the big debocle(sp?) is, but I do look forward to this. Although, yes, alot of the TV spots and all; kinda look generic and boring. I think this movie's going to do fairly well, although, after seeing Freaky Friday; it definately has some competition! And although I'm not hyped for Le Divorce, it seems to look 'ok'... so I'll have to wait and see; I'm seeing S.W.A.T. on Saturday! I'm pretty excited!

[dellamorte dellamore]

I'll say it one last time , it's going to deliver exactly what it promises in the trailers , a nice little , overthe top , bravado , action fest , with some talented ( albeit a bit annoying ) actors and actresses . I like all that special forces stuff , police and military , but primarily police because of the urban setting . So Swat , for me , is just what i'm looking for , like BB2 , to balance out those cheeky family films and silly romantic comedies . Just give me some attitude , explosions , gunfights , hot chicks , a cliched european bad guy , a superficial narrative , and some cheesy macho one liners that you most likely wouldn't hear in real life , and i'll get my money's worth .


No matter how much i complain about certain aspects of this film , mainly from what i've seen in the trailer , i'm sure i will like it , and i'm looking foward to it .

[AgentSmith]

Sit back, enjoy a well-made police thriller
"S.W.A.T." ***

Directed by Clark Johnson. Starring Samuel L. Jackson, Colin Farrell, Brian Gamble, Michelle Rodriguez , James Todd Smith (LL Cool J) and Olivier Martinez. Running time: 111 minutes. Classified: PG-13 (for violence, language and sexual references).

By Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times

Half an hour into watching "S.W.A.T.," I realized the movie offered pleasures that action movies hardly ever allow themselves anymore:
1. The characters had dialogue and occupied a real plot, which involved their motivations and personalities.
2. The action scenes were more or less believable. The cops didn't do anything that real cops might not really almost be able to do, if they had very, very good training.
I started taking notes along these lines, and here are a few of my jottings:
"When a cop shoots at a robber in a hostage situation, the hostage is wounded."
"The chief punishes two hot shots with demotions instead of pulling their badges and guns and kicking them off the force."
"When the bad guy steals a cop car, we expect a chase, but he backs up and crashes it within a block."
"When the chase leads down to the Los Angeles subway system, the cops approach a stopped train, board it and look for their quarry. Astonishingly, there is not a fight scene atop a speeding train."
"In a S.W.A.T. team training scene, the trainees are running toward a target while shooting, and somebody asks, 'No rolls?' The veteran cop in charge replies: 'They only roll in John Woo movies -- not in real life.'"
That's the point with "S.W.A.T." This isn't a John Woo movie, or "Bad Boys 2," or any of the other countless movies with wall-to-wall action and cardboard characters. It isn't exactly real life, either, and I have to admit some of the stunts and action scenes are a shade unlikely, but the movie's ambition is essentially to be the same kind of police movie they used to make before special effects upstaged human beings.
The result is one of the best cop thrillers since "Training Day." Samuel L. Jackson and Colin Farrell co-star, playing the time-honored roles of veteran officer and young hothead. Michelle Rodriguez and James Todd Smith (aka LL Cool J), both effective actors, give depth to the S.W.A.T. team. And Olivier Martinez, who played Diane Lane's lover in "Unfaithful," is the smirking playboy arms dealer who offers a $100 million reward to anyone who springs him from custody.
The plot begins with a hostage situation gone wrong. A S.W.A.T. team member (Brian Gamble) disobeys orders, enters a bank and wounds a hostage. He and his partner, Jim Street (Farrell), are offered demotions. Street accepts; his partner leaves the force. But Street, a talented officer and a great shot, is spotted by the legendary veteran Hondo Harrelson (Samuel L. Jackson) and chosen for his hand-picked elite S.W.A.T. team.
One of the pleasures of the movie is the training sequence, where Jackson leads his team through physical and mental maneuvers. Many recent action movies have no training scenes because, frankly, you can't train to do their impossible stunts -- you need an animator to do them for you.
A routine traffic bust leads to the unexpected arrest of Alex (Olivier Martinez), an internationally wanted fugitive. Alex offers the $100 million reward on television, the cops assume there will be a lot of escape masterminds hoping to collect the reward, and it's up to Hondo and his team to safely escort the prisoner to a federal penitentiary.
That it does not go smoothly goes without saying. I'm not arguing that the last 45 minutes of the movie are, strictly speaking, likely or even plausible, but nothing violates the laws of physics and you can kind of see how stuff like that might sort of happen, if you get my drift.
"S.W.A.T." is a well-made police thriller, nothing more. No Academy Awards. But in a time when so many action pictures are mindless assaults on the eyes, ears and intelligence, it works as superior craftsmanship. The director, Clark Johnson, is a veteran of TV, both as an actor and director, and supplies a well-made film that trusts its story and actors. What a pleasure, after a summer of movies that merely wanted to make my head explode.

[CyclicNightmare]

Two words: Colin Farrell. Coolest man alive, on screen and off. I'm not gay or anything but I have a serious obsession with this man. He makes any movie better. "Haha, bullseye." Although, I will admit, the line: "Okay guys, this is what we train for," sounds ridiculous. I am however looking forward to this movie, despite the fact that it's from the producers of XXX and The Fast and the Furious. (Do they honestly think that will help sell tickets?)

[MadsenOMC]

Is anyone else extremely disappointed with the state of action movie villains? I fondly remember the action movies of the '80s and early '90s and the great, mostly Eurotrash villains in them. Superb actors like Gary Oldman and Alan Rickman, among others, delivered top-notch performances as guys you loved to hate. Sometimes they could even freak you out. In the past five years or so, villains have become pathetic and laughable. They certainly aren't helped by pretty terrible scripts. But almost all of them are cartoonish, stupid, and not the least bit frightening or threatening. For me, two of the best exampes of this recently are XXX and Bad Boys II. Two of the most ridiculous and awful villains of recent memory. Watching them, I couldn't stop laughing at how lame these guys are. The little girl in the old Pepsi commercials would make a better villain. I say all this because, though Olivier Martinez is a decent actor, his character in SWAT looks like another one of these horrible villains. Another thing. Notice how the action movies with the great villains are head and sholders above recent action movies with moronic villains. A good bad guy makes so much difference. Generally speaking, movies today don't have them.

[dellamorte dellamore]

Here's another review to counterbalance the wildly inconsistent Roger Ebert . Obviously there are spoilers , critics are obsessed with them . Is there a professional critic alive today that can write one without giving away almost every minor and major plot point ? I digress , that's for another thread :


ACTION-SLACKED

Buy movie posters at AllPosters.com
Courtesy Photo
"S.W.A.T."

116 minutes | Rated: PG-13
WIDE: Friday, August 8, 2003
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Directed by Clark Johnson
Starring Samuel L. Jackson, Colin Farrell, Michelle Rodriguez, LL Cool J, Jeremy Renner, Olivier Martinez, Reg E. Cathey, Josh Charles, Brian Van Holt




Review by Rob Balckwelder of slicedwire.com



:


Crime lord offers $100 million for a jail-break -- but not until 90 minutes into the downright boring 'S.W.A.T.'



When even the dynamic, charismatic, scenery-chomping Samuel L. Jackson seems so bored that he might as well be phoning in his performance, you know your action movie is a lifeless failure.

For the first hour of "S.W.A.T.," an assemble-the-team super-cop movie long on testosterone clichés and short on everything else, there isn't even a plot -- just shopworn stock scenes recycled from 100 other cop movies. Shaky, pseudo-gritty "Cops"-style footage shows fearless tactical teams taking down violent bank robbers in a massive shoot-out! Order-disobeying heroes are chewed out and busted down to menial posts by WASPy, career-minded higher-ups who just don't know what it's like on the streets! Training montages set to grinding, angry-white-boy rap soundtracks that provide zero insight into what S.W.A.T. teams really do! Tons of laughably conspicuous soft-drink and fast-food product placement!

The movie's only capacity for holding one's interest in its first 90 minutes seems to be counting its stupid gaffes in common sense. Why, for example, do police sharpshooters at the robbery fire at a getaway driver through a car's windshield but don't even bother taking aim at a masked gunman standing in the open and firing at bystanders?

Sleepwalking through this cardboard cutout of a movie are Jackson, as a legendary Los Angeles Police S.W.A.T. commander who has returned to the force to train promising officers for elite duty, and Hollywood's pretty-bad-boy-with-one-facial-expression flavor of the month Colin Farrell ("Phone Booth," "The Recruit"), as the rebellious young cop (without any other personality traits) whose position on the S.W.A.T. team is restored by Jackson just "to piss off the captain."

But they don't have much to do other than bark bad dialogue ("Every cop in this department knows we did the right thing!") until a sexy French crime lord -- Oliver Martinez ("Unfaithful"), who wanders aimlessly through the movie until arrested during a routine traffic stop for a broken tail light (now that's action!) -- offers $100 million to anyone who busts him out of prison.

Jackson, Farrell and their team (LL Cool J, Brian Van Holt, Josh Charles and snarling hottie-tough Michelle Rodriguez) are assigned to provide high security for the prisoner's transfer to the federal pen. Then -- finally! -- all hell breaks loose when a bitter former S.W.A.T. member (Jeremy Renner) tries to take Martinez up on his offer.

When the action does come, its ineptitude makes the heroes look so stupid that this movie could end up giving a bad name to S.W.A.T. programs, the Navy SEALS of city police forces (the name stands for Special Weapons and Tactics). Forget that a decoy convoy of paddy wagons serves no purpose except to make the cops sitting ducks for a huge attack by gangbangers (whose knowledge of the convoy's route isn't explained) -- it never even occurs to these bozos to shoot out the tires of a bad guy's car.

But as dumb as they are, Jackson's team is apparently a whole lot smarter than the rest of the LAPD, which fall, en masse, for yet another decoy when Martinez does escape. This leaves our stars alone to fight a heavily-armed gang (and one "surprise" S.W.A.T. turncoat whose endless unmotivated close-ups give him away early on) as they close off a bridge to land a stolen Lear jet (inexplicably eluding air traffic control radar in this era of terrorism) that is intended to fly the oily villain away.

A testosterone-fueled showdown of gunfire and minor explosions follows, but inept director Clark Johnson (who has such a penchant for randomness that an early montage sequence shows Farrell barfing for no discernable reason) can't breathe life -- or even coherence -- into this finale, which has at least as many plot holes as bullet holes.

Based on a short-lived 1970s TV show that was never all that great to begin with, "S.W.A.T." lives down to its legacy and then some.

End Review


SPOILERS in the villian list .
















By the way , i do agree that the villains in mainstream films as of late are pretty weak , but it's something i'm resigned to accept , so long as the rest of the film is effective . Heck , check out some " villians " from low budget independents , they blow away the over top bad guys by a mile . Blair Witch ( does this without ever being seen ) , The guy in " With a friend like Harry " ( this guy was truly sadistic , but in an oh so unsettling , subtle way ) , Samara from The Ring ( how can a little girl be more fearsome than the villaind from Daredevil , XXX , BB2 , and Pirates of the Carribean combined ? ) , David Leigh ( the sinister documentarian from The Last Broadcast ) , and even the suave lothario in " Dreamlife of Angels " , are all scarier , more fearsome , believable , and unsettling than most of the villians utilized in big budget action films in the past 7 or so years . Almost forgot about the grandaddy ( pun not intended ) of all cinematic villians in the past ten years , the father in " The War Zone " , now that is a true monster . Plus , why is it always some evil european dude with lots of money , or someone with a " british " or " Irish " accent that gets the honor of being the cheesy , slimy bad guy , now that's a cliche .

[Ron34]

Im there to see the movie!

[Jim H]

Ergh.. THE LAST BROADCAST SPOILER. That's a BIG spoiler for the Last Broadcast, HELLO!!!!



**SPOILERS ABOUT THAT FILM AGAIN**



David Leigh ( the sinister documentarian from The Last Broadcast )

That's a giant fucking spoiler man. And that whole angle ruined the film, making me consider that not only the worst twist ending ever, but the worst ending ever PERIOD. Shitty villain and a shitty ending.


**END**



I'd agree though that the best villains I've seen in more recent movies have been lesser known films fairly often. Probably because they take chances.

Good villains in recent movies I've seen include the Hulk's David Banner. Great performance. As far as action movies, I can't really recall any particularly memorable villains in the last 7 or 8 years.. I rather liked Barbadosa in Pirates of the Caribbean if that counts.

[dellamorte dellamore]

Sorry about the without warning spoiler , i'll be more careful next time . I edited the previous post to warn everyone . I thought i warned of spoilers at the beginning of the review , but now i realize some people may have felt the spoilers ended with the review .




Mild Spoilers






Anyway , i think what makes " villians " in lesser known , low budget films , and foreign films effective , is the fact that , sometimes their not so obviously evil , and in the end they may even be an unintentional hero of sorts . And there is always a tremendous amount of conflict just below the surface with the most effective cinematic villians , the lines between good and bad are difficult to distinguish . Look at C Scott's character in Roger Dodger , you can interpert his intentions in so many ways , but in the end you will be hard pressed to determine what side he's really on . The bad guys in most mainstream H wood films are so one sided and one dimensional , they become caricatures of themselves and they can't be taken seriously , just about instantly forgettable , and in the case of Daredevil and Pirates , annoyingly cartoonish . I know , they were supposed to be played that way , so they can easily appeal to a wide audience , and they are all the more impotent as a credible threat as a result . Who creeps you out more , ultimately , a psychotic child molester , or an over the top Disney pirate that turns into a skeleton when he's exposed to the moonlight ? That's my point , you just can't take mainstream villians seriously , they're a joke . Oh yeah another truly sadistic soul can be found in the film " In the company of men " . That film will make women shudder and take up arms against the male population . God , that film was rough to watch and i truly hated that guy in the end , now that's a villian .

[dh1989]

http://i.imdb.com/Photos/Ss/0257076/SWAT-288.jpg

Plot: "An arrested criminal, who is wanted by over a dozen worldwide nations, is transported by a Los Angeles Police Department S.W.A.T. team led by Sgt. Daniel 'Hondo' Harrelson out of the city and into federal custody. Plans go awry when the kingpin offers $100 million to anyone who can free him. The mass of criminals in L.A. come out of the woodwork, with an arsenal of weapons, to break the cocky criminal out."

Superheroes, explosions, sexy woman, high body-counts, and guns. Over the years those things, among others, have become staples of the summer movie season, and it is no different in 2003. X2: X-Men United, The Leauge of Extraordinary Gentlemen, and The Hulk handle the "Superheroes" bit, and films such as Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines (An EXCELLENT film, mind you, but can anyone deny it has all the components of a summer blockbuster?), Bad Boys II, Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle, The Matrix Reloaded, and the upcoming Freddy Vs. Jason will be among those who deal with the rest, but, in my opinion, this summer has seen 2 films that dare to call themselves "summer action movies," and have a potent plot, good acting, etc. The first was Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl, with Johnny Depp and Orlando Bloom, and now, S.W.A.T., which is, in my opinion, the final summer blockbuster of the year, and it is appropriate, because the film manages to blend all of the things we love from these big-budget bad boys, along with strong characters, understandable twists & turns, and a lot of stunt-work, to balance out with the CGI effects, which are extremely over-used during the hottest part of the year.

Samuel L. Jackson stars as Sgt. Dan 'Hondo' Harrelson, a cool as ice leader, with a flair for battle tactics and fighting strategy. Jackson is as cool as ever in the role, and is obviously having tons of fun. Up-and-coming bad boy talent Colin Farrell co-stars as Jim Street, a former-S.W.A.T. team member fighting for another chance. Farrell is not as dynamite in this film as he's been in others, but is still quite solid, and turns in a working performance. LL Cool J is charming, funny, and near-Sam L. cool in the film, and I once again must say that he's a very underrated performer on these boards. Michelle Rodriguez and Olivier Martinez are playing themselves, but get the job done just fine.

One thing I admire about this film is the character development. Usually, in most summer blockbusters, characters are about as deep as cardboard cut-outs, and are used only to make actions scenes more tense. But screenwriters David Ayer & David McKenna care more for the audience, and respect them, by giving each character their own story, own opinions, and own quirks. The film takes the time to let us get to know them, and what makes them tick, which makes their work in the extraordinary action sequences even more interesting than it'd usually be.

The action sequences are, without a doubt, incredible, and this is the most intense action, in my opinion, since 1991's Terminator 2: Judgment Day. The action is inventive, thrilling, and original. It is also used sparingly. I was delighted as another action sequence began, and I looked forward to where the filmmakers would take it, instead of groaning as our main character flies around and kills 15 nameless thugs for the 100th time in 90 minutes.

Overall, I was between giving this an 8/10 or a 9/10, but, ultimatley, I am going to go with the latter. S.W.A.T. is what I crave in entertainment. It's smart, fresh, funny, and action-packed. It's strong story and characters provided for some of the best entertainment I've had in a long time. I have a feeling this one will please all audiences and become a giant blockbuster. It deserves it. Great filmmaking should not go unrewarded.

9/10

[bskutle]

"S.W.A.T."- C+
I've never seen the '70s TV show it's based on, and the movie doesn't make me want to watch it. Like F. Gary Gray's "The Negotiator" (also starring Samuel L. Jackson), it's a look at how one of the unsung police department groups operate. Unfortunately, it lacks that film's intelligence and logic. Sam Jackson and Colin Farrell do their thing well- as do LL Cool J and Michelle Rodriguez as S.W.A.T. team members- and there're enjoyable bits of dialogue and action throughout. But honestly, did it have to be this dumb (and horribly shot)? Just another example this summer of Hollywood taking a good thing- or good possibility- and flushing it down the crapper.

[noahx29]

I thought this movie was actually WORSE than Freaky Friday, and this was the one I actually PAID to see! Everyone says the action was so great... What a bunch of bullshit... Yea, it had it's parts, but it was all mindless, it just didnt seem to mesh well with the story, IMO... Colin Farrell is a great actor, and carried this whole movie, while Sam Jackson just sat back and received a paycheck... Was it me, or did this man do NOTHING in this fucking movie, in terms of making his role the LEAST bit interesting?! Colin's the man, and was the only good thing about this movie...

Oh, and if ya havent seen em, go check out Phone Booth, and Tigerland! I've still yet to see The Recruit though...

[Hannibal21]

Ugh. I was expecting a great movie, but boy was I wrong! This has now taken the # 1 spot for my 'worst film of the year' list.

Let's see. The action sequences were just plain boring, there wasn't anything special about them at all, and the way they were shot were painful to the eyes; there have been GOOD action movies BEFORE with excellent action in them, but this wasn't one of them. The acting was mostly unacceptable. Colin Farrell has been better, MUCH better, in his past films. L.L. Cool J and Michelle Rodriguez were annoying as hell in this film. Oliver Martinez was a boring bad guy in this film and he brought nothing to his character. God knows how much I LOVE Samuel L. Jackson as an actor, but he was extremely bland in this film. But this is mainly due to the godawful script that is both dull and cliched at times. There were few remaining qualities, one being the opening of the film was pretty good and a FEW (not a lot) exciting scenes (which were mostly towards the very, very end mind you). Other than that, lackluster.

4/10

[Jim H]

I thought this movie was actually WORSE than Freaky Friday

That isn't saying a lot - Freaky Friday is, no joke, one of the best reviewed movies of the year. :D

[SkyNet]

i just sae this.,.. i thought it was really good. I was very happy to see that the main bad guy (the ex swat guy, colins ex partner, that isnt a spoiler or anything so dont get freaked) is the lead guy from National Lampoons Senior Trip! i get happy when i see people from certain flicks pullin down newer roles! like the guy who played Casey Jones from the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movies (sept 2). Everytime i see him in a movie im happy for him! Good Actors get great credit with me.

[Scarface98.9]

What worked:

-The chemistry of the cast. With LL Cool J, Michelle Rodriguez, Colin Farrel, and Sam Jackson, I got a sense of chemistry between the foursome and believed they were a fully functioning team.

-The action scenes. One thing that can't denied about the movie is that it's loud. And to accompany the decibal level, the action scenes are always engaging, and sometimes take some pretty interesting turns. A trap utilizing 2 semi trucks, some bazooka shooters, and overall mayhem has a pretty interesting twist near the end I didn't expect, and later culminated in a type of chase I've never seen before, of taking down a plane on a highway. Even with the movies with some great action scenes this year, namely Bad Boys 2, Terminator 3, and X2, it still managed to make an impression.

-The humor. There's always the usual cheesy dialogue that's now a staple of the cop movie genre, but there was a surprising amount of dialogue and physical gags that somehow worked. No complaints here.

What didn't work:

-Some of the corny and stupid music that played during certain scenes, mainly when someone raided a house or cops are doing their job with style. Not always angry white boy rap, but a mix of that and the occasional 80's Miami Vice type score. it undermined some of the more interesting scenes.

-The cinematography. I remember watching 28 Days Later, and excusing some of the cinematography because it was low budget and was using DV cameras, so there was some jagged and less-than-pretty images onscreen. Considering the budget and the fact they were using film is evident, I'm not quite so sure why it looks more grimy and dirty than the average cop movie. We're not talking about Narc-style grittiness here.

All in all, a 7/10

[noahx29]

Without spoiling anything here, I thought the ending of this movie was EXTREMELY disappointing... My god, I would've thought they could've come up with somethin better than that with Mr. Martinez... I was like "what the fuck? this movie sucked!" whatta disappointment, cuz the trailor made it look so enticing! Ah well, whatever, nevermind...

[Narst]

Despite a rather lackluster opening action sequence, S.W.A.T. turned out to be one of the most exciting movies of the summer. I really enjoyed the eclectic cast especially the strong and commanding performances from Samuel L. Jackson and Colin Farrell. I also thought Olivier Martinez brought a lot to his role that without it would have made his character extemely one-dimensional. I loved all the training scenes and the quick transition into the transporting the prisoner plotline. I also enjoyed the music but found the DV stuff annoying and all the shameless plugs for Dr. Pepper to be quite distracting. Although it is a great drink.

7/10

[ilovemovies]

I thought the opening sequence was great. I thought this movie was a lot of fun. I really had a great time. It was tense and exciting all the way through. Even the training scenes were very exciting. Solid cast (although LL Cool J had NOTHING to do) + great action = One great summer ride.


* * * ( out of * * * * )

7.5/10

Grade: B+

[Scooter]

S.W.A.T. - 7/10

S.W.A.T. was a fast paced movie. It kept me entertained the whole time. Colin Farrel & Samuel L. Jackson were the highlights of the film for me. They had great chemistry together on screen. Oliver Martinez did his best impression of Dr. Evil with his million dollar speech... but the villain in bad boys II was much more intimidating.... overall a solid movie

[EDsoulsurvive*]

With high expectations, I thought SWAT was pretty disappointing. Surprisingly enough, the first half or the training/setup hour was the best, while the movie almost crumbled when the whole plot unraveled. The action in this movie was nothing special. This whole movie was just.... dull.

6/10

[T-1000]

IMO, SWAT is pretty good summer action flick.

I really liked the chemistry between Colin Farrel and Samuel L. Jackson. The rest of the cast did a fine job, much better than i expected.

The actions sequences were well done, and the tension was put together with excellent craft.

Even though the film didnt try to be clever, it still had a pretty good plot, and it succeeded in grabbing my attention and entertaining me.

8/10

[MsMoviefan]

Happy surprise! I thought I had enough of this genre for awhile, but it had great reviews from major critics, so I went.Really enjoyed this movie. A lot.Interesting and well paced throughout. I'll rent it when it comes out so I can see it again. It's not the same old scenes common to the genre, lots of fresh stuff here.

[dellamorte dellamore]

Still didn't get a chance to see this , but i'm curious about M Rod's perf . Was she her usual , one dimensional , tough talking chick self , or did she show another dimension in this film ?


I can't believe she's only been in a handful of films , and i'm hesistant to watch anything she's in . For me she brings any film she's in down a few nothes , no matter how good looking she is , she gets a bit annoying at times .

[The Prowler]

Originally posted by dellamorte dellamore
Still didn't get a chance to see this , but i'm curious about M Rod's perf . Was she her usual , one dimensional , tough talking chick self , or did she show another dimension in this film ?


I can't believe she's only been in a handful of films , and i'm hesistant to watch anything she's in . For me she brings any film she's in down a few nothes , no matter how good looking she is , she gets a bit annoying at times .

Nothing new on that front. She was that one dimensional hard ass chick that every movie has. Everyone says how underrated she is but I find nothing special at all about her acting.

Anyways back to S.W.A.T, this was a decent but very generic movie. It just seemed stale as hell to me. Maybe I am just getting sick of this trend with action movies. I really like Collin Farrell as an actor especially after the surprising and effective Phone Booth. To me he was the best thing about the movie but he didn't have much to do cause the script was so boring and predictable. Anyways I would give this movie a so so grade for its cool training scenes and some fun action sequences. Probably not a movie I would buy or even watch again. But not horrible

6/10

[Strider]

S.W.A.T. (2003)

Rated PG-13 for Violence, Language and Sexual References

Director: Clark Johnson

Starring Samuel L. Jackson, Colin Farrell, Michelle Rodriguez, LL Cool J, Jeremy Renner, Josh Charles, Brian Van Holt, and Oliver Martinez.

Synopsis: "An arrested drug kingpin, Alex Montel (Oliver Martinez) is transported by a Los Angeles Police Department S.W.A.T. team led by Sgt. Dan "Hondo" Harrelson (Samuel L. Jackson) out of the city and into federal custody. However, plans go awry when the kingpin offers $100 million dollars to anyone who can free him".

http://i.imdb.com/Photos/Ss/0257076/DF-3762_3764R.jpg

The summer movie season of this year has been filled with many offerings from the action genre, "S.W.A.T." is yet another action film hitting theaters and it's straight from the people who brought you "The Fast and the Furious" and "xXx". Another thing you might not know about "S.W.A.T." is that it's loosely based on a T.V. show of the same name from the 70's. Such information will prove to be unimportant to the majority of movie-goers who do see "S.W.A.T.", since they will most certainly see the film because of the action, the notion that it could very well be a fun time, and perhaps, even the ensemble cast. The question is: does "S.W.A.T." deliver the goods? Keep reading on.

Samuel L. Jackson, who is one of the best and most kick-ass actors working in the film business today, leads the ensemble cast of "S.W.A.T.". Jackson never fails to bring his great and electrifying on-screen presence in mostly every film he appears in, but unfortunately in "S.W.A.T.", he's not really himself here. For some strange reason, he seems to be slightly bored with his involvement in this film and he lacks any kind of energy or excitement. Moving on, the film's second lead actor is Colin Farrell, an actor we have now seen four times this year alone. His performance here is the best from them all, but still nothing special. I much preferred his performances in "The Recruit", and especially in "Phone Booth" and "Daredevil". Michelle Rodriguez is known for playing the "tough chick" roles, and she plays (just like in all her other films) that role once again in "S.W.A.T.". Sadly, she isn't given much to do and not one memorable scene to show off her attitude, her sharp tongue, her masculinity, and especially not her talent. And yes, I said "talent". If you don't believe me, watch "Girlfight", which is her acting debut and her best performance (thus far) in her career. Next, there's famous rapper/actor LL Cool J (a.k.a. James Todd Smith) who is just as wasted as Rodriguez and does nothing in this film that's worth mentioning. Lastly, Oliver Martinez plays the cliched villian, he delivers a decent performance, but his character is eventually overshadowed by another villianous character that is revealed later in the film.

There are two halves "S.W.A.T." is divided into. One of these works, while the other does not. The first deals with the recruitment process by the Jackson character for a new S.W.A.T. team, as well as several training execerizes, and some development for the characters. The second half is all about seeing this team doing what they've been trained for, that's it. Which of these two parts doesn't work, you ask? Well, that would be the first one. While I did appreciate that the film spared some time for character development, I had a slight problem with the other things this first half is filled up with. For example, the training execerizes - they are not necessarily boring, but they are not some of the most exciting scenes put to film. Basically, the film is devoid of hardly any excitement or real entertainment in it's first half. It's not until the second half where things start picking up at a fast pace.

The best aspects of "S.W.A.T." are the action sequences under the direction of Clark Johnson, which twist the unbelievable with some kind of semi-realism. This, and the film's second half actually compensates for some of the disappointing acting and the lackluster first half. "S.W.A.T." is effective for what it is: your typical action film. Nothing wrong with that. For the most part, I found "S.W.A.T." to be a decent and entertaining ride. But it's not one of the better action pictures this summer.

Running Time: 1 hour 51 minutes

Grade: 6/10 or *** out of ***** stars

Strider

[inglourious basterd]

Originally posted by dellamorte dellamore
Still didn't get a chance to see this , but i'm curious about M Rod's perf . Was she her usual , one dimensional , tough talking chick self , or did she show another dimension in this film ?


I can't believe she's only been in a handful of films , and i'm hesistant to watch anything she's in . For me she brings any film she's in down a few nothes , no matter how good looking she is , she gets a bit annoying at times .

I'd say that, in this film, she has progressed into two dimensions. The film is cool in that it gives her shades of development. I liked that. She showed some acting muscle.

They also made her really hot.. I loathe M Rod. Don't like her at all and, like you, I was skeptical. But I had a fun time.

[Annie Hall]

The Good:

The action sequences were fun and fairly exciting.

Good chemistry between the leads, all of the characters functioning as seperate beings (no "comic relief buddies" as in most summer flicks) and as a swat team. Well played.

Samuel L. Jackson being very cool...as always.

Surprisingly more on top of itself than most other cheesy flicks such as this, it knew it was cheesy, got those bits out of the way and made way for some pretty original dialogue.

Martinez as the sweet French villian...seriously...did his hair ever got mussed?

The Bad:

Some of the cheesyness was laughable, and not in a good way, though it did add to some of the fun of the flick.

The camera angles were odd, and obviously at many points trying to look "edgy" and "dramatic" which just sort of fell flat for me.

The performance of the hardass boss...was his "menacing" face an impression of Oscar the Grouch? Sure looked like it to me.


Overall, oodles of fun even if it was a bit thin.

7/10

[PorcheRacer]

http://i.imdb.com/Photos/Ss/0257076/SWAT-276.jpg

Although lacking in terms of plot and originality, S.W.A.T. remains mostly entertaining for it's slightly overlong run time. It takes a little while to get going but when the action starts flowing it really pays off. We get to know the characters for the first hour or so and if it wasn't for the good acting and half-developed characters then it would have been a huge snore. Luckily, Colin Farrell, Samuel L. Jackson, Michelle Rodriguez and the rest of the cast have solid chemistry and give good performances. Surprisingly, Rodriguez didn't even get on my nerves at all like she did in Blue Crush & Fast & The Furious. Olivier Martinez didn't have much to do and his part was severly underwritten.

Clark Johnson does an good job directing the picture. The action scenes are well-shot and the occasionally flashy cinemtogprahy was a nice touch. The movie would have flowed better with some light trimming and I wish the movie had of been rated R instead of PG-13. It's just something that bugs me, I feel that action movies shouldn't be watered down to please the masses. Oh well, PG-13 means more money and S.W.A.T. has made a very healthy amount so maybe there will be a S.W.A.T. 2 in the near future and that's something I'll plunk my money down for.

One thing I liked about the movie was the training sequences. The paintball gun scene on the plane was a real highlight. Of the "real" action scenes my favorite would have to be the one were the hoods all jumped out of the truck. Cool stuff! If your looking for a summer blockbuster with some clever action scenes and solid performances then S.W.A.T. is your movie. 8/10

[XCoRyX]

i saw this one 2 weeks ago,dont know why I didnt post that...

but nonetheless,enjoyed the hell out of it,solid and lived past the expectations...all around awesome....

8/10