“S.W.A.T.” (Columbia Pictures)
“S.W.A.T.” is the latest in a series of action movies hitting the screen this summer. And with “Bad Boys II,” “2Fast2Furious,” and “Terminator 3” showing just how bashy, crashy and trashy these movies can be, any newcomer has to be one that hits hard and hits fast. “S.W.A.T.” doesn’t do this. It isn’t hot, and worse than that it isn’t even cool.
The film is based on the TV show of the 70’s that highlighted the exploits of an elite team within the LA Police Force. It has been modernized from its original setting and even has a female as a member of the team now.
Samuel L Jackson plays Hondo Harrelson, the leader of the group. His team members are Jim Street (Colin Farrell), Deke Kaye (LL Cool J), Chris Sanchez (Michelle Rodriguez), Mike Boxer (Brian Van Holt) and T. J. McCabe (Josh Charles). The first thirty minutes of the film deals with their recruitment and then their training. This gets old fast and drags the movie down.
Eventually the movie picks up a little speed with the capture of a criminal (Olivier Martinez) who shouts out an offer of one hundred million dollars to anyone who helps him escape from police custody. This is picked up by the media and soon all types of vermin are crawling out to help set him free.
Jackson is usually the coolest of the cool but in this film he is barely tepid. He just seems to be walking through the role, without any special purpose and without any enthusiasm. He should be one of the sparkplugs of the film but he isn’t on fire for this part.
Colin Farrell is still being pushed to be the next leading man of Hollywood, but once again he gives a one-dimensional performance that does nothing to brighten up the proceedings. He is more a weasely actor than a hero and he has no chemistry with anyone in the movie. The only time I have really liked him was when he played the villain in “Daredevil” so maybe he should have played the Martinez role in this movie.
As the villain, Alex Montel, Martinez is bland. He doesn’t exude evil. He doesn’t exude anything. He is a passive participant who never seems to care whether he escapes or not.
The two people who seem to care about their roles are LL Cool J and Rodriguez, but they are given so little to do that they can’t make much of an impact. Still they do make a vain attempt to make their characters come alive.
The movie is rated PG-13 for profanity and violence.
“S.W.A.T.” is just too calm a movie to survive in this summer of excitement. It won’t take long for “S.W.A.T.” to go S.P.L.A.T.
I scored “S.W.A.T.” a not hot 4 out of 10.
