In the heart of Los Angeles (does crime happen anywhere else in movies?), the
L.A.P.D. division of Special Weapons and Tactics has been ordered to escort
international terrorist Alex Montel (Olivier Martinez, oozing French wickedness)
to prison. Recently assembled by Lt. Dan "Hondo" Harrelson (Samuel L. Jackson),
the S.W.A.T. team includes intense Jim Street (Colin Farrell, smooth as always),
family man Deke Kaye (LL Cool J), fierce Chris Sanchez (Michelle Rodriguez,
acting through her eyelids again), tough guy Boxer (Brian Van Holt), and slimy
T.J. McCabe (Josh Charles). Complications arise for the S.W.A.T. team when
Montel announces to the world a 100 million dollar prize to whomever
successfully frees him from police custody, and now the team is forced to fend
off those competing for the reward while still trying to get Montel out of the
city.
"S.W.A.T." (IMDb listing) is based on the obscure 1970's television show of the same name.
Modernized by screenwriters David Ayer ("Training Day") and David McKenna
("American History X"), and directed by T.V. vet, Clark Johnson, "S.W.A.T." attempts to bring a little pragmatism to
the summer mayhem movies it is in direct competition with. As a piece of
high-tech motion picture filmmaking, "S.W.A.T." is a joyride; it is an unhinged
action film set to a blistering pace early on, and hardly ever lets up.
It's revitalizing to see a big movie like this try so hard to not let the pace
lag, and Johnson runs through all of his directing tricks to keep his picture
moving along. And, as opposed to other directors, he's not even doing it to
cover plot gaps. Johnson makes a strong big screen debut, capturing the action
with intensity and a modicum of restraint. There is often a flurry of
disorder on the screen, but Johnson is a clear communicator, with "S.W.A.T."
showing alarming competence even in the face of big, dumb studio politics; which
come in the form of endless Dr. Pepper plugs, inappropriate Linkin Park and
Jane's Addiction tunes on the soundtrack, and our friend the PG-13 rating, which
unrealistically holds back the bloodshed.
Ayer and McKenna draw up a procedural thematic scheme for "S.W.A.T.," eschewing
the customary cinematic process of just blazing through police methods and
hoping nobody questions it ("Bad Boys II"). In its best light, "S.W.A.T." isn't
exactly a L.A.P.D. handbook, but carries a tone of reverence to the rules of law
enforcement without becoming dull. While the audience doesn't exactly get to see
the paperwork aftermath, the action isn't entirely a cluster of firebombs and
raving lunatics either. The script is tight and lean. Of course, the prevailing
caricatures of the sassmouthed, cartoonishly bureaucratic captain, the hazing of
the female member of the team ("Do they make Kevlar bras?" goes one pathetic
line), and the generally transparent, puffed-out-chest brawn of each character
and line of dialog are all a bit disappointing. "S.W.A.T." isn't an understated
experience, but it certainly didn't need to be dumbed down for mass consumption.
At times, this "S.W.A.T." resembles the 70's era of politics and
characterizations rather than the 2003 world it is trying to recreate.
A nice touch is provided in the final stretch as Johnson has his cast use their
S.W.A.T communication headgear as actual dialog mikes, allowing for an even
greater depth to the experience. This helps the audience feel even more a part
of the chase, as they now hear through the characters' earpieces. Subtle, but
unique.
As breathlessly paced as this film is, Johnson occasionally can't keep his
passion going. The central idea of L.A. citizens (unimaginatively, mostly Latino
and African-American thugs) trying to free Alex for the reward money is not
exploited nearly long enough. The set up alone could fill over an hour of
action, with the S.W.A.T. team facing every last possible obstacle a civilian
could conceive of. The scenes where the team is barraged by residential fire are
the best of the film, feeding into the chaos of the moment and also opening up a
terrific free-for-all atmosphere that is intoxicating to watch. Johnson stages
these action set pieces beautifully, fulfilling the promise of teamwork set up
in the film's opening hour. It's when Johnson starts to break away from the city
streets, and takes the action to the easier-to-shoot-in sewers and rail yards,
that "S.W.A.T." begins to falter. The switch to more intimate suspense takes
the film's pulse down a bit too much, especially after the tsunami of
action, which, up to this point, the film had established
effortlessly. I also wasn't a fan of the mano-a-mano ending, which reeks of
"Lethal Weapon," while also going against the practical tone the picture is
trying to hide behind. Johnson gives into the action clichés too eagerly in the
closing moments, which tosses a bucket of cold water on the otherwise
unbelievably enjoyable ride this movie is overall.
Filmfodder Grade: B+