Fogo Cruzado

Copshop

This movie got off to a very good start and then about 45 minutes in the dialogue became stilted, the acting stiff, the plot repetitive, and the scenarios contrived.

To my mind Gerald Bultler sabotaged his own movie by being desperate to engrandize his role without sufficient substance and have the last word.

The female cop played by Alexis Louder did a fine job but you "can't make a silk purse out of a sows ear".

Overall this is 5 outta 10 at best, meaning watch it on TV if you are minded.

I was hoping for this to be a decent little thriller but I was a bit disappointed by the end. It has a good set up and scenario and the action when it hits is well portrayed, but it's overlong and just too drawn out for what it is. The snappy dialogue is too sub-Tarantino at times and there are long stretches that don't move the plot forward; in particular, the last half hour just seems to endlessly stretch out to no avail. It should have been better.

I see what they were going for here. I don't think they succeeded. If they had, this would have been my kind of movie. But something always feels off or unnatural.

For me, the movie maxes out at "pretty good," goes as low as "kind of stupid," with the bulk of the movie being mediocre. Overall, it's fine. (1 viewing, 1/30/2022)

A comical drama that doesn't conform to expectations with an 80's presentation style, lively characters and isolated setting. It doesn't have much of a plot and it could have been a lot snappier, but the acting is good and it does hold your attention. The action scenes are few and far between and use slow motion a bit too much, but are good enough.

Grillo, Butler and Louder gave outstanding performances, and although the satirical writing was entertaining, this would've been much better if the story were taken more serious.

Then there's the even bigger issue of the huge hole left in the story, the one which didn't explain any of the twists and turns. It's almost as if the dog ate pages from the middle of the screenplay.

For the 107 minute runtime, there wasn't enough substance. Either lots of minutes needed to be trimmed down, or preferably, more backstory/substance written in. It felt like the story was more about Louder's character, and we're supposed to ignore why the things that are happening to her, are happening.

It's a shame no one picked up on these huge issues, because the directing was excellent, as was the cinematography, score and gore effects. Its a good one-time watch, and thus a 7/10 from me.