a well-made thriller

Rating: Null/10 (14 February 2002)

From director Antoine Fuqua comes this gripping, pulse-pounding police thriller about crime and corruption. Hawke is an idealistic rookie narcotics officer who's just been assigned to a new unit; Washington is his twisted, maniacal senior officer out to give him an up close and personal look at the gritty L.A. streets. The young officer's morale is put to the test as he's given an in-depth look at both sides of the law, and forced to make a choice as he's plunged into the cruel world of police brutality. Washington is intensely believable and charismatically over-the-top as a seasoned veteran who doesn't play by the rules, and Hawke stands tall as his inexperienced but steadfast subordinate. Mostly good writing and direction falter at the climax—and require a certain suspension of disbelief—but overall the movie packs a powerful punch. ***