Officer Down (2013)

Very disappointing...

Thanks for the memories!

Sorry, this movie sucks

Bad Acting and worse Bad Screenplay

It's always nice and refreshing to watch Stephen Dorff. He's one of the better actors, but does not have a really big blockbuster under his belt (Blade maybe, but that was a Wesley Snipes vehicle). This movie is also just a B-movie. But that doesn't mean it's bad! Quite the contrary, the story was so appealing, that quite a few good actors did sign up to make the movie.Of course quite a few things are convenient and wouldn't stand the scrutiny of the viewer thinking too much about them. There is a morality issue at hand, but there is also or at least could be an issue with the ending. The actors involved have the charisma to just pull it off, but it still may feel cheap to some.

A fabulous combo of gritty cop drama and action, with just the right amount of 'who dunnit' (or rather, 'who is it?') thrown in. There is a lot of ambiguity amongst the characters and their intentions, heightened by the use of flashback/dream sequences... which could annoy the less attentive but completely captivate problem-solving film viewers. It made it all the more enjoyable for me - putting all the pieces of the puzzle together.Superb acting and an original story never short of a twist. I knew little about this film before going in, and I'm thankful as I was fully immersed throughout all the confusion and plot arcs. I think the title was the only thing that didn't do it justice - it is more than just another police-action-drama story.

For the first half of the film I was hopeful a point would be revealed to all the confusing scenes that never seemed to add anything to a weak story. For example, in one scene Det. Callahan (Steven Dorff) is told by his daughter that she wants to ask him about something that is troubling her. However, instead of actually listening to what she has to say he cuts her off with insistent question after insistent question until she runs off in frustration! OK, so the scene sort of had a point in that it showed the Callahan saw only what he wanted to see, or that his relationship with his daughter was being interfered with by his work, but in the end we never find out what the daughter was trying to ask. I mean it seemed like it was something important being that this daughter who barely said a thing to her father unless it was dismissive of his concern for her, was all of a sudden wanting to ask him something really important and not go to her mother! But we are just left hanging. That's just one small example of how little sense the film made, but the real nonsensical scene was at the end. The captain offers Callahan a pre-written statement that will absolve him of all blame and allow him to carry on with his life in possession of a new moral code forged in the mistakes of the past. Instead of signing the statement though Callahan owns up to the truth of the situation and goes to prison! That just makes no sense! What was achieved by telling the truth?! It wasn't like signing the statement meant he couldn't change his ways. And who in their right mind would knowingly allow themselves to be sentenced to prison? Especially a cop? He may as well have just shot himself in the head and been done with it? Basically none of it made sense and left me feeling rather unsatisfied - kinda like I had just wasted 100 minutes of my life because that's exactly what I had done!

When I started watching this film I was trying to figure out where it was going for the first hour. And with a film that approximately 1hr37mins that's pushing my limits on clarity (or as the politicians call it, transparency). On the other hand what fun would it be it we could figure out what was going to happen next (but I do like to know what's happening now).All the actors do a good job. James Woods is always great and he maintains his standing in this film. Dorff is believable as the alcohol/drug abusing detective, although I don't know if many police departments would allow his attire, demeanor and foul odor to continue for very long. I like Walton Goggins in this although I don't think there was enough of him. That broad toothy smile of his is a trademark but we did not see any of that in this flick.Even after the film discloses part of the overall plot and what you think is the missing piece there is still a finish that surprises. Otherwise, this would be a humdrum movie.One concept that was used extensively were flashbacks, especially at the beginning, that left me confused about what the actual storyline was or which storyline I was suppose to follow. But I got past it and enjoyed the movie.This film is worth a watch.