Stallone more than holds his own against an all-star ensemble cast; indeed, he soundly anchors the picture.
Probably the only actor in the film underutilized is Robert De Niro as Lt. Moe Tilden, the Internal Affairs officer investigating Babitch's alleged jump. Tilden knows it all smells to high heaven, but his jurisdiction ends at the city limits, and he needs a reluctant Freddy to help him nail the bad guys. Unfortunately, De Niro has little to do but show up, never really contributing much to his supporting part except to look and act grim and determined.
It's at the film's midway point that things begin getting more melodramatic than necessary, but with a little extra help from the Director's Cut, it all seems plausible. There are extramarital affairs among the cops and their wives; the burning of a house and the death of one cop's girlfriend; people conveniently dying; and a good deal of moralizing and just plain talking.
But the ending saves the day. It's straight out of "Shane" and "High Noon." No one wants Freddy to do anything about the crime and corruption in Garrison, no one will help him when the time comes to do the right and proper and honorable thing. Freddy becomes Will Kane, having to face Frank Miller and his gang at the stroke of twelve. As I wrote about "High Noon" some years ago, it's the ultimate test of the mythic Code of the West: One man standing up for right against all odds because it's the right thing to do. The final showdown might have been staged by Fred Zinnemann, Howard Hawks, or John Ford.
With the exception of the ending, though, don't expect an action thriller. Just expect to be entertained.
Video:
The video quality is excellent in a widescreen presentation that measures a ratio of about 1.75:1 across a standard television. The picture is bright and colorful when it needs to be, solidly black when the occasion demands. Hues are deep and rich, rendered via a decent bit rate, and definition is excellent. The transfer does reveal a slight amount of grain, some facial tones are a touch dark, and horizontal lines can sometimes shimmer. Otherwise, a fine picture.
Audio:
To complement the video, the Dolby Digital 5.1 does a good as well. The dynamic range is everything one could want, very wide, very strong on tonal and loudness contrasts, with strong impact. Bass is deep and authoritative; balance is natural; dialogue is clear. The surround speakers are also used to advantage, although not excessively. A helicopter flyover here and there, gunshots, voices, musical ambiance are well directed to specific spots in the room and add subtly to one's appreciation of the action on screen.
Extras:
I enjoyed the bonus items the disc offers. There's a good audio commentary with director James Mangold, producer Cathy Konrad, and actors Sylvester Stallone and Robert Patrick, which unfortunately for lack of time I was not able to listen to for long. There are a pair of deleted scenes with optional commentary. There's a "Shootout" storyboard sequence. And there's a fourteen-minute featurette, "Cop Land: The Making of an Urban Western," in which writer-director Mangold explains that the town of Garrison, NJ, was supposed to represent the stereotypical Western town of old movie legend in a parable about good and evil. Viewed that way, as I've said earlier, the film makes more sense. Then, there are some Sneak Peaks at other Buena Vista releases but no trailer for "Cop Land"; twenty scene selections; English and French spoken languages; and English subtitles for the hearing impaired.
Parting Thoughts:
An interesting central idea forming what its author says is a fable of the Old West, a terrific cast, some fine acting, and a gripping story combine to make "Cop Land" an above-average crime drama. Its emphasis on character, interior exploration, and moral dilemmas in addition to a bit of good old-fashioned action is unusual in any Hollywood film, let alone one starring Sly Stallone. The fact that it was made on a very small budget proves Hollywood can still supply a world-class product without a ton of special effects. "Cop Land" may never achieve classic status, but it's an enjoyable, offbeat film experience.
It's at the film's midway point that things begin getting more melodramatic than necessary, but with a little extra help from the Director's Cut, it all seems plausible. There are extramarital affairs among the cops and their wives; the burning of a house and the death of one cop's girlfriend; people conveniently dying; and a good deal of moralizing and just plain talking.
But the ending saves the day. It's straight out of "Shane" and "High Noon." No one wants Freddy to do anything about the crime and corruption in Garrison, no one will help him when the time comes to do the right and proper and honorable thing. Freddy becomes Will Kane, having to face Frank Miller and his gang at the stroke of twelve. As I wrote about "High Noon" some years ago, it's the ultimate test of the mythic Code of the West: One man standing up for right against all odds because it's the right thing to do. The final showdown might have been staged by Fred Zinnemann, Howard Hawks, or John Ford.
With the exception of the ending, though, don't expect an action thriller. Just expect to be entertained.
Video:
The video quality is excellent in a widescreen presentation that measures a ratio of about 1.75:1 across a standard television. The picture is bright and colorful when it needs to be, solidly black when the occasion demands. Hues are deep and rich, rendered via a decent bit rate, and definition is excellent. The transfer does reveal a slight amount of grain, some facial tones are a touch dark, and horizontal lines can sometimes shimmer. Otherwise, a fine picture.
Audio:
To complement the video, the Dolby Digital 5.1 does a good as well. The dynamic range is everything one could want, very wide, very strong on tonal and loudness contrasts, with strong impact. Bass is deep and authoritative; balance is natural; dialogue is clear. The surround speakers are also used to advantage, although not excessively. A helicopter flyover here and there, gunshots, voices, musical ambiance are well directed to specific spots in the room and add subtly to one's appreciation of the action on screen.
Extras:
I enjoyed the bonus items the disc offers. There's a good audio commentary with director James Mangold, producer Cathy Konrad, and actors Sylvester Stallone and Robert Patrick, which unfortunately for lack of time I was not able to listen to for long. There are a pair of deleted scenes with optional commentary. There's a "Shootout" storyboard sequence. And there's a fourteen-minute featurette, "Cop Land: The Making of an Urban Western," in which writer-director Mangold explains that the town of Garrison, NJ, was supposed to represent the stereotypical Western town of old movie legend in a parable about good and evil. Viewed that way, as I've said earlier, the film makes more sense. Then, there are some Sneak Peaks at other Buena Vista releases but no trailer for "Cop Land"; twenty scene selections; English and French spoken languages; and English subtitles for the hearing impaired.
Parting Thoughts:
An interesting central idea forming what its author says is a fable of the Old West, a terrific cast, some fine acting, and a gripping story combine to make "Cop Land" an above-average crime drama. Its emphasis on character, interior exploration, and moral dilemmas in addition to a bit of good old-fashioned action is unusual in any Hollywood film, let alone one starring Sly Stallone. The fact that it was made on a very small budget proves Hollywood can still supply a world-class product without a ton of special effects. "Cop Land" may never achieve classic status, but it's an enjoyable, offbeat film experience.
Average user rating (1-5):
[release]12039[/release]