Street Kings (2008)

O Masterpiece
O Excellent
X Good
O OK
O Mediocrity
O Avoid

Review by Jason Pyles / May 17, 2008

Somewhat reminiscent of “Serpico” (1973), “Street Kings” implicitly deals with corruption within a police department that is rationalized to be justifiable, albeit immoral. But explicitly, “Street Kings” provides a gritty, violent, action flick whose rationale is vigilantism a la “Dirty Harry” (1971) or “Death Wish” (1974).

And let’s face it, we enjoy watching the heavy boom of personal, vengeful justice fall upon deserving scumbags. To this end, “Street Kings” is entertaining, especially if watching Keanu Reeves implement “Matrix”-like ferocity is your thing. But for those who also seek a well-built narrative to accompany the high body count, “Street Kings” doesn’t hold water.

Detective Tom Ludlow (Keanu Reeves) is “the tip of the spear” in Captain Jack Wander’s (Forest Whitaker) team of hard-core, Los Angeles cops. They hunt their criminals and execute justice in a very literal sense. These cops’ perpetrators get no trial, nor are they innocent until proven guilty; they are simply killed.

And for quite a while, Wander’s crew maintains its “it doesn’t matter how it happens; it matters how we write it up” mentality, garnering glowingly heroic headlines, that is, until Internal Affairs gets uncomfortably curious.

That’s all I will reveal about the plot of “Street Kings.” Overall, the movie celebrates surges of testosterone and even mindlessness. And at times, an adjectival phrase like “over-the-top” doesn’t quite describe it well enough. Yes, might makes right in “Street Kings.” And the movie’s conveniently tidy ending pulls a slick trick by somehow substituting happiness for what is, in fact, hopelessness.

Directed by David Ayer
Keanu Reeves / Forest Whitaker / Chris Evans
Action / Crime 109 min.
MPAA: R (for strong violence and pervasive language)

U.S. Release Date: April 11, 2008
Copyright 2008: 275