Swot - Film Critique

Final Film Critique

Instructor David Preizler

February 00, 0000

Final Film Critique

Clarke Johnson's movie SWAT is based on the 1970's television series S.W.A.T. which star's Steve Forest as the Los Angeles SWAT Team Leader, Lt. 'Hondo' Harrelson, and Rod Perry as Hondo's assistant Team Leader, Sgt. David 'Deacon' Kay "IMDB". The show features roles by Robert Urich playing Officer Jim Street, James Coleman playing Officer T.J. McCabe, and Mark Shera playing Officer Dominic Luca "IMDB". The 1970's television show is most famous for its fast past Theme song which became a number one hit single in 1976 by Rhythm Heritage "IMDB". The series used the song when the characters responded to a muster signal, grabbing their weapons and running to their specially-equipped SWAT transport van. The SWAT series was about the adventures of the Special Weapons and Tactics Team (SW.A.T.) operating in an unidentified California city.

The movie SWAT directed by Clarke Johnson uses the same characters as the television series obviously played by new actors. The movie SWAT is also filmed in several locations of Los Angeles California. Johnson begins the film with an intense action scene of a bank robbery/ hostage situation. The robbery scene in the beginning of the film is actual footage from a violent bank robbery which actually occurred on February 28, 1997 in North Hollywood California, at the North Hollywood Bank "IMDB". The result of the robbery left the two gunmen dead and numerous officers and civilians wounded. This opening scene makes a huge statement to viewers how this movie is going to go.

This movie is about an international fugitive who is wanted on international warrants for his arrest. The Fugitive then while being escorted into the station announced that he would pay one hundred million dollars to anyone who would break him out. The new swat team would then be tasked to transport the fugitive to a federal prison. During this tasking there are internal and external struggles within the characters. I will provide you detail which will tell you why Johnsons movie was a success the box office throughout this paper.

Storytelling

The story line in Johnson's movie SWAT is very simple and clear to follow. A member of an elite group of men with in the Los Angeles Police Department who are assigned to the SWAT Team disobeyed an order given by the assistant team leader to hold his position. The scene unfolds and ends successfully with no hostages being killed, only the bad guys. Ultimately due to Street and Gamble hot dog tactics the pair is kicked off the team for disobeying the order to hold there positions. Six months later Street would be given an opportunity to prove himself and be allowed back on the team. While his ex partner Gamble decided to leave the team and the department all together. It was not until "Hondo" old school swat guy was called in to take over the team as the team leader. Not until then would Street be afforded the opportunity to prove himself to get back on the team. Upon successful completion of training the team would be once again.

However the director shows the viewers how unit cohesion between team members is an important factor to being a member of such an elite unit. The adversity the entire team was under by Captain Fuller would just fuel the teams hunger to strive to achieve and overcome that adversity placed on the team by the captain. Then team Hondo picked overcame the hype placed on the team by the captain the team had successfully completed the required training and did so by breaking the course record and scoring an all new fastest time. The team celebration upon successful completion would be short lived.

The team would quickly task to transport a high profile international fugitive wanted on international warrants. The teams task to transport the fugitive to a federal prison. Sounds easy right? Well that is when things heat up as the fugitive makes a last minute offer while being filmed as he is walked into the police station to anyone who breaks him out, he would pay them 100.000.000.00 dollars. This is just a small example of the way Johnson heats up his story telling abilities making the film flow in a very smooth transition from one action sequence to another. This is also where Johnson holds no bones about telegraphing the fact that Gamble Streets former partner would then be the one taking the fugitive up on his offer of the large sum of money offered. Which critic believes was a good call by Johnson instead of trying to hide that fact.

Acting

The roles of the characters were already scripted from the1970's television series SWAT. Jim Street played by Colin Farrell, ex partner Gamble played by Jeremy Renner, and Team Leader played by Samuel Jackson are the three main cast actors in the movie. Their Characters all have personalities already attached to them. An actor portraying a role/character of someone who is already made up is known as an impersonator role. I disagree with Goodykoontz & Jacbos these kinds of actor are considered demeaning in the acting world. There are actors that characterize a particular role well if not better than the original actor. The new actor may have persona about them that makes the character better than the original or vise versa. The actors in this film are that of what could be perceived as realism method of acting known on the film world. Like most good directors these actors based on their roles had consultants who actually did the jobs the actors were portraying. The consultants did these jobs for a living day in and day out.

Cinematography

The Cinematography in this movie has to be precise trying to piece the action together so it blends as if it were all filmed together. Well the opening scene which I am truly fascinated with has several parts to it. The first part is the actual North Hollywood shoot out footage. The mise en scene here is the front of the bank. The two bank robbers are trying to flee from while they are appear to be wearing body armor and shooting it out with police. The two are trying to leave the bank in a vehicle. The lighting here is natural as there may have been some slight modifications made by Johnson but it live footage shot by new reporters who arrived on scene. Johnson appears to have used a wide variety of color during shooting and black and white largely due to the places were typically