L'enfer bleu

Miss-Marketed and Ignored Movie about Four Honest Cops Knee-Deep in the Stench of Political and Law-Enforcement Corruption.

Reagan-Era Blow-Back about Highly Corrupt Politicians and Leaders in the LAPD Using Drug-Money to Get Rich and Fund the "Freedom-Fighters" in Central America.

Thinly Veiled Commentary about the Iran-Contra Scandal.

The Studio seemed Nervous about the Political Aspects of this Character Study.

It's about an Elite Squad of Brian Dennehy, Joey Pants, Jeff Fahey, and Bill Paxton Uncovering Not Only Drug-Trafficking but Corruption at the Highest Levels.

The Movie was Ignored by the Studio and Given the Bum's Rush.

Did Not Screen Well with Critics (What do they know?).

The Film is a Fine Action/Drama with the Four Actors Delivering Good Character Comradery and are a Convincing Squad.

Suspenseful Story Peppered with Good Action.

Underrated and Unacknowledged Film that Deserves a Second-Look.

Outstanding acting from Brian Dennehy, Joe Pantoliano, Jeff Fahey, and Bill Paxton vaults this vigilante cop film into way above average territory. While character development is good for the good guys, it is rather skimpy when it comes to the villains. This does not detract enough to spoil the fun however. There is nice chemistry between the rogue cops, and the script though derivative is totally acceptable. It's rare to get the kind of likable performances delivered in "The Last of the Finest" from all four leads. Special mention must be made of the stunt work, because it's good, and the movie has some very unusual and exciting parts. This is a real surprise, and fans of the actors will not be disappointed. - MERK

"The Last Of The Finest" didn't do a great deal of business when it was first release, possibly because the studio tried to market it as an action movie (it really isn't), and Dennehy, best known for playing heavies, possibly didn't fit audience's idea of a hero. Actually, Dennehy is pretty good playing his atypical role, believable as a cop who is honest and tries to do the right thing. The supporting cast is also pretty good in their roles. But the central conflict, dealing with bad guys in high places trying to interfere with the conflicts in Central America, is pretty standard stuff. I think that if they had tried to make this more of an action-oriented movie, it would have played a lot better. It's not a bad movie, just somewhat flat as it is. You will find it more entertaining if you watch it on commercial TV, however, because the ludicrous dubbing to remove the extensive foul language is unintentionally funny.

This movie is about what you would expect just from the title and looking at the art on the DVD box. It's a bunch of expert, no nonsense drug cops who are in a war against drugs and there turns out to be corruption high up the ladder. So they have to fight against the odds to keep their war against crime going. Some surprisingly good acting by some decent actors like Dennehy and Pantoliano (spelling?), this one is worth watching if you get a chance.

I saw this on TV and was disappointed in how small a role Bill Paxton had in it. He was the main reason I was interested in seeing it. The movie is not that bad, but it wasn't anything I hadn't seen before, either. If you're interested in cop dramas, this one is average.