S.W.A.T. (2003) – Encore Review

“You know what they say, you’re either SWAT or you’re not.” – Hondo

Number of Times Seen – Between 5 -10 times (Theater on 22 Oct 2003, DVD, 20 Jul 2014 and 22 Oct 2020)

Link to original review – Here

Brief Synopsis – A former SWAT officer is tasked with putting together an elite team in order to take on some of the toughest missions against crimes in L.A.

My Take on it – This is a film that I have loved ever since I first saw it when it came out 17 years ago.

The story is really exciting and fun the whole way through.

The cast is superb and they have such great chemistry throughout.

Samuel L. Jackson, Colin Farrell, Michelle Rodriguez, Josh Charles and LL Cool J all bring so much to these characters that make them so enjoyable to watch.

This film’s plot is really thrilling and they find ways to show us different kinds of scenarios that S.W.A.T. members could potentially encounter along the way.

The story is filled with some great twists and turns along the way that help keep things so heart pounding to watch especially given the unpredictability of everything that transpires.

It’s a real shame that this film and characters weren’t made into a franchise because they could have done wonders with what they have here.

Bottom Line – Really fun and exciting film that works on numerous levels. The cast is great and they all work so well together throughout. The movie is non-stop action that finds ways to stay thrilling and exciting the whole way through. The various twists and turns along the way helps keep things so enjoyable to watch unfold because of the unpredictability of it all. This is the kind of story and characters that could have made for a great franchse, yet that never materialized. Highly Recommended!

MovieRob’s Favorite Trivia – The 6th Street bridge had been closed for filming, and a high speed chase involving a stolen vehicle drove through as the cast was rehearsing the scene. At the time, the Learjet was parked on the bridge in such a way that there was just barely enough room for a mid-sized car to fit through, with a few inches of clearance on each side. At first, when the crew was told by Security that a chase was headed their way, they thought it was a joke until they noticed L.A.P.D. and news helicopters above them. The crew tried to include the footage they got later, from the choppers, into the movie, but it didn’t work too well. (From IMDB)

Rating – Oscar Worthy (9/10) (no change from original review)