I finally had a day off today, after overhauling this site over the last couple of weeks, besides a daytime job and freelance work. Nothing to do for hours but kick back and relax. And what better way to do that than with a typical Hollywood action flick? S.W.A.T. had been on my to-see list for a while. Because it has Samuel Jackson in it, because the trailer looked cool, and because it seemed exacly the mindless fun I love on days like these.

This movie is all action. No time is wasted, the first thing you hear is AK-47′s being fired. Sounds like a job for the Special Weapons And Tactics team They’re called in when a bank robbery turns into a hostage situation. Officers Jim Street (Colin Farrell) and Brian Gamble (Jeremy Renner) go in through the roof. During the intervention that follows, Gamble disobeys a direct order, and both of them get assigned to desk work. Gamble quits the force.

Months later, veteran officer “Hondo” (Samuel Jackson) is recruiting a new S.W.A.T. unit, and spots Street. It’s this team that the movie’s about. There isn’t much story other than that. No need for one either, as it distracts from the action. It’s based on a 70′s TV show that as far as I can tell has never been aired in The Netherlands.

Jackson does the same routine he did in The Negotiator and Basic, and it still is pretty impressive. This is one of those movies where little acting is required, yet where a good actor can make the flat characters come alive. Farrell manages this as well, and the rest is OK enough.

The art direction is great, although I must say that movies like these have been filmed on railroad tracks, in metro pipes and in sewers once too often. Some more original locations would have been nice. The soundtrack on the other hand is great. Some nice rock music (both contemporary and classic) to get the adrenaline pumping.

All in all a good, not a great, action movie. No Shakespeare for sure, but why should all movies be? There’s plenty of room for silly films like this.

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