S.W.A.T. (2003, Colin Farrell, Samuel L Jackson, Michelle Rodriguez, Olivier Martinez, L L Cool J) – Classic Film Review 1188

Director Clark Johnson’s 2003 action thriller is a precision item with a finely tooled screenplay by David Ayer and David McKenna, from a story by Ron Mita and Jim McClain, based on the original TV show characters by Robert Hamner. It is produced by Neal H. Moritz (who has a cameo as the luxury car driver) and based on the 1975 TV series.

That smooth Parisian heartthrob Olivier Martinez is weirdly cast – presumably just because he’s French! – as an evil French drug lord and arms dealer named Alex Montel, who on TV offers a million bucks to any miscreant rotters who will bust him out of jail.

To stop that happening, crusty veteran LAPD cop Sergeant Daniel ‘Hondo’ Harrelson (Samuel L Jackson) is called upon by the chief of police to re-organize the S.W.A.T. (Special Weapons and Tactics Team) division and he handpicks an elite crack squad.

The diverse team includes himself, a cute but puny-looking Colin Farrell as hot-shot cop Jim Street, a former U.S. Navy SEAL, Jeremy Renner as his hot-tempered partner and close friend Brian Gamble, an ultra-tough-acting Michelle Rodriguez as  Christina Sánchez, a cool-seeming L L Cool J as Deacon ‘Deke’ Kay, Josh Charles as T J McCabe, and Brian Van Holt as Michael Boxer. The team members train together and eventually forge bonds of friendship.

With credible characters, plausible action and a decent – though admittedly very far-fetched  – plot, this slickly crafted cop thriller is surprisingly effective and entertaining. More believable than Bad Boys 2, more exciting than Training Day, it’s a hit.

Reg E Cathey, Larry Poindexter, Page Kennedy, Domenick Lombardozzi, James DuMont, Denis Arndt, Lindsey Ginter, Lucinda Janney, E Roger Mitchell, Jay Acovone, Mario Aguilar Jr and Jeff Wincott are also in the cast.

Original series actors Steve Forrest and Rod Perry make cameo appearances as well. Forrest, who played Daniel ‘Hondo’ Harrelson, drives the SWAT team’s van while Perry, who played Deacon Kay, serves as Deke’s father. It proved the last film of Forrest. who died on May 18 2013, aged 87.

(C) Derek Winnert 2014 Classic Film Review 1188

Link to Derek Winnert’s home page for more film reviews: http://derekwinnert.com/