Pass the Mental Floss

Rating: Null/10 (23 October 2001)

Denzel Washington is cool, buff, smooth and believable as a tough cop in LAPD's narcotics squad, He takes us on a trip down several circles of that hell while bringing in a rookie to understand the ropes. Narcotics are serious business and lying down with dogs, comes you up with fleas. Wow, I think I need some of that mental floss now. Ethan Hawke, who is ironically being transformed into a wolf, presents a believable rookie on his first days assignment on the streets. The initiation rites are believable but his vengeful bravura needs work. All others, and there are quite a few recognizable performers, are brief and incidental. Words like riveting, chilling and explosive come to mind, as this is quite a wild ride. Follow it carefully or you'll miss the nuance and the plot detail. No spoilers here so PAY ATTENTION to the film. And unless I wasn't, you 'll. not find a subtle message nor any startling revelations. Urban cop action with a heavy dose of (no surprise here) rap. CyCy