Download Copshop movie review

 

COPSHOP

Cert 15

107 mins

BBFC advice: Contains strong language, violence, injury detail

Sound the siren - a rare good movie starring Gerard Butler has emerged.

For me, Mr Butler has become a cross between a figure of fun and a bête noire over the past decade because his films have been simultaneously vacuous and successful.

But, while Copshop is not perfect and has some ludicrous moments, it also has black comedy, life-or-death decisions, plenty of action and some quality acting.

It was a pleasant surprise and I enjoyed it all the more because I had Luton Cineworld's screen 3 all to myself.

Butler was one of the co-producers of the film which stars Frank Grillo as a fixer who is on the run in an unmarked police car and deliberately gets himself arrested by punching a rookie police officer (Alexis Louder).

It turns out that he has done this for his own protection.

Meanwhile, an apparent booze-sozzled down-and-out (Butler) narrowly avoids mowing down two officers before being chucked into the same cells.

It pretty soon becomes clear being taken to the same copshop as the fixer is no coincidence and the pair being incarcerated together could be literally explosive.

Copshop is a violent movie - its action is fast and very furious and is matched by volley after volley of bad language.

However, it is also smart. Wit is as fast as guns and those who are not sharp enough of mind as well as trigger-finger soon find themselves dead.

I was drawn towards Butler's hardnut but he is outdone in the eccentric assassin stakes by Toby Huss's who emerges as his rival.

I was also impressed by Alexis Louder as a rookie police officer whose guile and brainpower may be a match for the deadly cellmates.

Joe Carnahan's film is not perfect but I found it a saving grace on a day that my football team lost 5-0.

Reasons to watch: A smart Gerard Butler film

Reasons to avoid: Lots of heavy violence

Laughs: None

Jumps: None

Vomit: Yes

Nudity: None

Overall rating: 7.5/10

Did you know? Valerie Young (Alexis Louder) was asked by director Joe Carnahan to watch some Clint Eastwood movies as inspiration since her character is a gunslinger in the movie. Some of the movies she watched included, "The Good, The Bad and The Ugly" and "Dirty Harry".

The final word.  Gerard Butler: "Every character in this movie is just brimming full of personality and jumping out of the screen and smacking you in the face, so there are great characters already with incredible dialogue, and the action is not frivolous. " Looper

Share this post