They could have called it "Dead Cop's Society"

Rating: 8/10 (3 January 2003)

SPOILER WARNING -

Ever wonder what happened to Ethan Hawke after he graduated from private school in Dead Poet's Society? Guess he fast-forwarded thirty-five years and became a rookie narcotics officer in Los Angeles. Yes, sounds crazy, but it'll have you cheering. Despite taking a s--- kicking, he still pulls through, with sphincter and morals intact.
Denzel got the Oscar, but I preferred Ethan. You can feel his apprehension, disbelief and disgust, yet also his sense of purpose. He's easy to identify with, tough outside, even tougher inside, and simply believable. His transition from "sheep to wolf" is both logical and fascinating.

Denzel in contrast starts out at full volume and stays there. Even his death sequences - two of them! - are too long. I also don't get how he could get shot at close range, yet still stand and talk like he was hit with a punch instead of a bullet.
"The Russian" thing was also kind of dumb. Why bring a smoke screen of international intrigue into this? They should have kept it simple and called the bad guys from Vegas, oh, "bad guys from Vegas"; the same bad guys who offed Elizabeth Shue's pimp in "Leaving Las Vegas" maybe.
Okay, so it's flawed. But despite that, it's still a good picture. I'd easily rent it again sometime.