Dark Blue *** (2002, Kurt Russell, Ving Rhames, Scott Speedman, Brendan Gleeson) – Classic Movie Review 2927

Kurt Russell is great as Eldon Perry, a corrupt LAPD cop in director Ron Shelton’s dark and often chilling 2003 thriller set during the racially-charged 1991 LA riots.

The LAPD’s elite Special Investigations Squad is assigned a high-profile quadruple homicide case. Tough and fiery veteran detective Perry tutors SIS rookie Bobby Keough (Scott Speedman) in police intimidation and corruption. But Assistant Chief Arthur Holland (Ving Rhames) threatens to end Perry’s reign of maverick justice.

Based on a story by James Ellroy, this gritty and ambitious LA cop thriller is decent and serious without achieving real status, making it seem boring at times, drifting into over-length and rarely rising above a good TV episode.

David Ayer’s screenplay is muddled at the start, then lacking in credibility at the end, relying on too many coincidences. To deal with its race issue, it takes place uncomfortably in 1991 and uses the Rodney King cop-beatings murder without enough justification, until the end when it becomes a plot device, then an attempt to give a small story universal significance.

As a troubled anti-hero, doing the wrong things for what may be some of the right reasons, Kurt Russell is excellent when the script allows him to be. And as the corrupt police boss Jack Van Meter, Brendan Gleeson makes a fine villain. But the rest of the cast seems to be struggling in stereotypes.

The characters seem very similar to those in Ellroy’s LA Confidential, without the film being anywhere near as impressive. There’s a much better movie trying to get out here, but it’s worthwhile for Kurt.

Also in the cast are Korupt, Dash Mikok, Jonathan Banks, Lolita Davidovich, Khandi Alexander, Dana Lee, Chapman Russell Way, Marin Hinkle, Jim Cody Williams, Eloy Casados, Graham Beckel, William Utay, Joe McChesney and Master P.

James Ellroy’s novel The Black Dahlia was turned into a movie by Brian De Palma in 2006.

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© Derek Winnert 2015 Classic Movie Review 2927

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