Street Kings

An entirely implausible yet undeniably entertaining thriller, Street Kings casts Keanu Reeves as Tom Ludlow – a grizzled, play-by-his-own-rules cop who’s forced to go off the grid after he’s implicated in the death of a fellow officer. Director David Ayer has infused the proceedings with a refreshingly tough-minded sensibility that proves instrumental in smoothing over some of the more overt deficiencies within James Ellroy, Kurt Wimmer, and Jamie Moss’ screenplay, and there’s little doubt that Street Kings ultimately comes off as an irresistible throwback to the unapologetically over-the-top actioners of the 1980s. As such, the movie is packed with convoluted twists and archetypal characters who speak primarily in clichés and metaphors (eg “you can’t ride the tiger forever!”) – yet such concerns are rendered moot thanks to the efforts of an exceptionally capable supporting cast that includes, among others, Forest Whitaker, Hugh Laurie, and Chris Evans. And although the film’s storyline might just be a little too plot-heavy for its own good (ie there are more than a few lulls in between the impressively brutal action sequences), Street Kings benefits substantially from the appreciatively old-school vibe emphasized by filmmaker Ayer. (It’s also difficult to discount the effectiveness of Reeves’ work here, as the actor delivers as electrifying and flat-out compelling a performance as he’s ever given.)

*** out of ****