SnoopyStyle It's 1992 as L.A. awaits the verdict of the Rodney King trial. Special Investigations Squad (SIS) rookie Bobby Keough (Scott Speedman) is being questioned about an shooting incident. His partner is the rough and tumble veteran detective Eldon Perry (Kurt Russell). Jack Van Meter (Brendan Gleeson) runs the SIS. Assistant Chief Holland (Ving Rhames) opposes the rough tactics and vows to get Eldon and Bobby. He is assisted by Beth Williamson (Michael Michele) who is sleeping with Bobby without knowing each other's identity. Eldon is getting promoted and has a brassy wife Sally (Lolita Davidovich). Jack is corrupted covering for a couple of gunmen Darryl Orchard (Kurupt) and Gary Sidwell (Dash Mihok) whose shooting Bobby and Eldon are investigating.It's the standard corrupt cop crime drama with lots of tough talk from Kurt Russell. Scott Speedman is playing the naive rookie. There are a few other good actors as well. The case is laid right out without much mystery. It's all testosterone. It's a lot of yelling. It's nothing special. The acting is reasonable but this is all pulpy without any realism. It's fine but it's not anything award worthy. It tries to incorporate the L.A. riots which is a mistake. It could never be big enough to be compelling or real enough to be scary. Making a movie about the riots would be much better. Also Kurt Russell's final speech goes on a little too long. It probably needs to be cut in half.

g-bodyl Dark Blue is a surprisingly good cop film and even though it has the cliché elements of the bad cop/good cop theme, it's better than expected thanks to a wonderful performance by Kurt Russell and a well-written screenplay by David Ayer. This film reminded me very much of Training Day and that's a good thing because I like to see how different directors make use of this kind of film.Ron Shelton's film is based on the days of the beating of Rodney King and the verdict of the trial. This film has veteran cop Eldon Perry and rookie cop Bobby Keough battling it out with each other as they explore the greediness and corruptness of the LAPD.Kurt Russell saved this movie from mediocrity and he is a vastly underrated actor. His performance is lights-out and he gave one of the better speeches in film you'll ever see. The supporting cast is not shabby either.Overall, this should have been your run-of-the-mill cop film, but thanks to great acting and a addictive storyline, this film is enjoyable and fun to watch. It also helps that this gritty cop thriller gives out a fresh Training Day vibe. I rate this film 9/10.

marsmitchell79 Let me set the scene of the movie for you. There are two partners(1 old and 1 young) running around town fulfilling the orders of their infamous, puppetmaster boss by any crooked means necessary. The older cop(Russell)--in turn and due to the fact that his boss used to be his dad's partner--is like a son to him. He takes the younger cop under his wing--in the same way that an older brother that reveres his father would. Basically, Russell defends that man's honor to the younger cop; even though, he knows what they are doing is wrong and he often feels guilty about the murders as dead bodies start to mount by their hands. When Russell's partner(who he loved like a brother) gets shot and killed and he finds out that this father figure boss is responsible(not to mention that the bullets were meant for him), he makes plans to sever ties forever. When you add in Russell's wife and son, the young cop's beautiful cop girlfriend and her convoluted past, Ving Rhames' watchdog investigations into the corruption and his equally convoluted past, family problems, and an ending that you will never forget, you have one of the best movies of all time. It's slightly soap operatic and mostly dramatic. There's a lot going on in this one; you won't get bored; that's for sure! Training Day(a cousin as far as movies go) is better throughout(Dark Blue is close), but Dark Blue's ending is better(Training Day is close, but that shooting scene is over the top). The language is a problem, tho!

Richard Burin James Ellroy wrote the story for this between The Cold Six Thousand and Blood's a Rover. It treads familiar ground for him, spotlighting a bent, alcoholic cop (Kurt Russell) whose marriage is on the rocks and whose quest for redemption is going to destroy him. Though his novels are cinematic, the demands of filmic convention generally rob Ellroy's material of its grandeur and cause it to fall apart at the end. The backdrop of the LA Riots is very effective here in terms of atmosphere (the Watts Riots form a key part of Ellroy's first major work, Blood on the Moon), but also pretentious and unilluminating. The film's major strengths are Russell's performance and a storytelling style that braids various contrasting, interesting story strands, though elements of agreeable realism are sadly overwhelmed by the daft finale. The film bears more than a passing resemblance to Training Day, from the same scriptwriter. If you like it, check out Sidney Lumet's meticulous Prince of the City.