Whether it's an exploitive early 70's crime flick with an underlying mainstream influence, or a mainstream cop movie that sporadically delves into a gritty no-nonsense peripheral, THE NEW CENTURIONS is an entertaining piece of cinema
After an opening credit montage of rookies -- including Stacy Keach's Roy Fehler, Scott Wilson's Gus and Erik Estrada's Sergio -- training at the police academy, we skip right to the chase well, almost. Your typical gruff sergeant (Dolph Sweet) is barking orders to a group of world-weary police officers. And with a fresh rookie partner in tow, they enter into the dark Noiry streets of downtown Los Angeles.
At first, the centerpiece is George C. Scott's veteran cop Kilvinski, who, with his own implied "laws" aka philosophies of life, provides Roy exposition through random busts including bickering prostitutes and, cutting back and forth from Clifton James's Whitey paired with Gus, and Ed Lauter with former gang member Sergio, domestic dispute calls that wind up humorously reminiscent of a television cop show.
But there's a point where CENTURIONS, compared by Kilvinski as a new brand of Roman guard -- equally hated and needed by that society like our own -- kicks into second gear.
Standout scenes include Scott Wilson's Gus gunning down an innocent man: The always edgy IN COLD BLOOD actor's shocked/life-altering expression, as well as Estrada's Sergio explaining his backstory as a gang member reluctantly brought back to his hellish home town, make this more character-driven than action-packed.
Although noted as a vehicle for the Oscar-winning Scott, remaining the wise mentor till a gloomy retirement, the story truly belongs to Stacy Keach, whose character-arc from an idealistic rookie to a seasoned cop to a reluctant vice squad officer to a hopeless drunk is underlined by the dwindling relationship with his wife and child: the domestic scenes border on melodrama but never take away from the gritty mainline: We always promptly return to the streets.
Based on a novel by former lawman Joseph Wambaugh (whose dialogue includes that this movie isn't the typical "Hollywood crap!"), insightful glimpses outshine the sporadic cinematic clichés, and a few scenes would be considered politically-incorrect to modern audiences (made up for by Scott beating up a crooked slum lord exploiting illegals).
But underrated director Richard Fleischer -- whose eclectic hit/miss career labeled him more of a talented hired hand than creative auteur -- using his signature grainy film stock, makes even the lighter moments look and feel completely intense and (despite a tacked-on conclusion) jarringly unpredictable.
After an opening credit montage of rookies -- including Stacy Keach's Roy Fehler, Scott Wilson's Gus and Erik Estrada's Sergio -- training at the police academy, we skip right to the chase well, almost. Your typical gruff sergeant (Dolph Sweet) is barking orders to a group of world-weary police officers. And with a fresh rookie partner in tow, they enter into the dark Noiry streets of downtown Los Angeles.
At first, the centerpiece is George C. Scott's veteran cop Kilvinski, who, with his own implied "laws" aka philosophies of life, provides Roy exposition through random busts including bickering prostitutes and, cutting back and forth from Clifton James's Whitey paired with Gus, and Ed Lauter with former gang member Sergio, domestic dispute calls that wind up humorously reminiscent of a television cop show.
But there's a point where CENTURIONS, compared by Kilvinski as a new brand of Roman guard -- equally hated and needed by that society like our own -- kicks into second gear.
Standout scenes include Scott Wilson's Gus gunning down an innocent man: The always edgy IN COLD BLOOD actor's shocked/life-altering expression, as well as Estrada's Sergio explaining his backstory as a gang member reluctantly brought back to his hellish home town, make this more character-driven than action-packed.
Although noted as a vehicle for the Oscar-winning Scott, remaining the wise mentor till a gloomy retirement, the story truly belongs to Stacy Keach, whose character-arc from an idealistic rookie to a seasoned cop to a reluctant vice squad officer to a hopeless drunk is underlined by the dwindling relationship with his wife and child: the domestic scenes border on melodrama but never take away from the gritty mainline: We always promptly return to the streets.
Based on a novel by former lawman Joseph Wambaugh (whose dialogue includes that this movie isn't the typical "Hollywood crap!"), insightful glimpses outshine the sporadic cinematic clichés, and a few scenes would be considered politically-incorrect to modern audiences (made up for by Scott beating up a crooked slum lord exploiting illegals).
But underrated director Richard Fleischer -- whose eclectic hit/miss career labeled him more of a talented hired hand than creative auteur -- using his signature grainy film stock, makes even the lighter moments look and feel completely intense and (despite a tacked-on conclusion) jarringly unpredictable.