One day, a drunken police officer callously guns down two bartenders who refuse to serve him any more alcohol because he was already drunk. He does this after showing them his badge. One of them manages to get away.
No real explanation is given at that time why he goes around killing people who would not let him have more alcohol. Later on, it is explained that he might have some psychiatric problems, though nobody is sure why he is then allowed to continue on the force, particularly after it is alleged that, prior to this, other persons may have been killed or seriously wounded by him.
The movies then plods on, slowly and confusingly while this crooked officer searches for the witness ostensibly with the aim of removing him. At this point, it is brilliant why this witness did not just go to the police and ID him. It is because the witness was himself involved in illegal activity. Why not continue on this predictable path is beyond me. For some strange reason, the movies veers into an unnecessarily complicated direction, multiple characters introduced and disposed of without explanation.
Thereupon, it stumbles onto right-wing red meat territory. There are Arab terrorists bent on blowing up people on the streets to protest the upcoming G-20 summit. The connection is tenuous, at best. First of all, it is like Arabs have nothing better to do but go around blowing up people. Secondly, G-20 summits don't usually attract Arabs. It is the domain of young people fighting inequality. But no matter. The silliness continues to where this cop stumbles upon the bombing plot, and kills three of the terrorists.
Movies have plot twists all the time. The best of them challenge you or leave you in amazement because you don't see them coming. This one is a gratuitous shot at an easy target. In the end we are left with this unsatisfying feeling that a murderous cop is a hero because he gunned down the would-be terrorists.
This confused maelstrom of a movie won awards alright because it panders to a predictable constituency. Much like fast food makes money even though there is no real nutrition, just sweeteners.
No real explanation is given at that time why he goes around killing people who would not let him have more alcohol. Later on, it is explained that he might have some psychiatric problems, though nobody is sure why he is then allowed to continue on the force, particularly after it is alleged that, prior to this, other persons may have been killed or seriously wounded by him.
The movies then plods on, slowly and confusingly while this crooked officer searches for the witness ostensibly with the aim of removing him. At this point, it is brilliant why this witness did not just go to the police and ID him. It is because the witness was himself involved in illegal activity. Why not continue on this predictable path is beyond me. For some strange reason, the movies veers into an unnecessarily complicated direction, multiple characters introduced and disposed of without explanation.
Thereupon, it stumbles onto right-wing red meat territory. There are Arab terrorists bent on blowing up people on the streets to protest the upcoming G-20 summit. The connection is tenuous, at best. First of all, it is like Arabs have nothing better to do but go around blowing up people. Secondly, G-20 summits don't usually attract Arabs. It is the domain of young people fighting inequality. But no matter. The silliness continues to where this cop stumbles upon the bombing plot, and kills three of the terrorists.
Movies have plot twists all the time. The best of them challenge you or leave you in amazement because you don't see them coming. This one is a gratuitous shot at an easy target. In the end we are left with this unsatisfying feeling that a murderous cop is a hero because he gunned down the would-be terrorists.
This confused maelstrom of a movie won awards alright because it panders to a predictable constituency. Much like fast food makes money even though there is no real nutrition, just sweeteners.