STREET KINGS
Keanu Reeves, Forest Whitaker, Common, Terry Crews
7/10
As much as he likes to try, Keanu Reeves isn't able to play a wide variety of roles. The one thing Reeves does seem to be able to play though, is a cop. He rocked 'Point Break' with his cocky, slick Johnny Utah and forced audiences to put all their trust in him as Jack Travern floored an out-of-control bus in the smash-hit 'Speed'. Reeves re-inherits the badge for 'Street Kings', only this time he's less of a superhero and more of a normal guy.
Reeves plays LAPD cop Tom Ludlow - a screwed up son-of-a-bitch who is still mourning the loss of his wife. He's the guy the captain (Forest Whitaker) calls in to 'take out' the garbage when the boss feels their number is up, whether the victims open fire first or not. When Ludlow receives a tip that his former partner, Washington (Terry Crews), might be about to rat him out, he sets off after him. The frenzied copper follows Washington into a convenience store where an unplanned (or is it?) shooting by a couple of gang-bangers leaves the snitch dead. The captain is only too glad to get rid of the store's surveillance tape. This is all well and good for Ludlow, but if the captain is happy to cover up this, what else is he capable of? With the help of a wet-behind-the-ears colleague, 'Disco' (Chris Evans), the conflicted copper sets out to get some answers.
There's not much new in director David Ayer's ('Harsh Times') film. It's thinly written, predictable fluff, but if you're in the mood for a good leave-your-brain-at-the-door popcorn action movie, there's a lot to munch on here (Clint Morris).
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