Under Oath

I don't know about you, but I've seen so many hard boiled cop thrillers I've lost track. That includes the type with an unfair world as otherwise good men are tempted to the dark side for cold hard cash. 'Under Oath' obviously belongs to this genre and while it's story beats are very stale a solid cast amongst some palpable tension make this low budget dtv flick a better watch than it should be.

Veteran detective Hollit (Jack Scalia) and partner Ramírez (Eddie Velez) are getting tired seeing scumbags skate on technicalities. Then the city puts a freeze to any cop raises. Hollit gets the notion to ripoff one to even the playing field, but the target they choose flashing big sums is undercover ATF and he's accidently killed. Assigned the case gives them breathing room, but evidence left and right means time is running out.

"We're supposed to be the good guys ..."

You get known faces James Russo as a police captain, Richard Lynch & Robert LaSardo putting in rare good guy roles as ATF as does Abraham Benrubi. Lastly a blink and you'll miss it bit part for Clint Howard as a corrupt cop. The main characters might go down in predictable fashion, but Scalia & Velez ultimately hold everything together. Both feel real.

"It's just you and me now ... all we got is each other."

'Under Oath' is a flick with a tale that's a dime a dozen. However this familiar morality play hits better than some ones who did it with bigger budgets, casts, directors etc. Genre fans might want to check this one out and it's certainly head & shoulders above most pics New Concorde and legendary shlock producer Roger Corman put out.

Out of nowhere comes "Under Oath", with a clever script, fine acting, and believability. This is DVD gold for those seeking an unknown movie to "wow" your friends. The fast moving story has plenty of action, twists and turns, and well developed characters. The low budget never gets in the way, and the camera work is totally acceptable. My only objection, and is not a big deal, is that several of the stunt scenes are marginal at best (can you really miss that many times with an automatic weapon?). For all the times you took a chance on an unknown noir, and were disappointed, "Under Oath" should regain your faith, and encourage your quest for those hidden gems. Highly recommended. - MERK

While the low budget is apparent in every scene, and the acting isn't quite up to par sometimes, overall this movie achieves very much with very little. Most importantly, it keeps up the tension. You want to know how it ends. The plot is engaging. It's not great cinema, but a fine example of how far a good plot can carry a film.

I bought this on DVD for much less money than it is actually worth. It currently sits proudly in my DVD shelf next to movies like Heat, Manhunter and Narc and deservedly so. Standout performances from Eddie Velez, Robert LaSardo James Russo and Jack Scalia drive what is a really lean and mean movie. Its as though the ghost of Don Siegel (Dirty Harry) came back and directed this fine crime flick. Police corruption, action, violence, disloyalty and paybacks are the name of the game and it really works well here.

I liked it and I return to watch it from time to time.

My expectations were pretty low when I sat down to watch "Under Oath", since it was a Roger Corman production, and in the '90s Corman produced a lot of cheapie stinkers. But I was surprised by this movie. While it's clearly low budget, it doesn't look as cheap as other Corman movies of the period; director Dave Payne clearly squeezed every last penny from the budget. But the real strength of the movie is the screenplay. It is far from predictable, with several good surprise twists, and until the end I kept wondering if the central figures would get away with their scheme or not. The acting is also pretty decent, and you get to see Richard Lynch in a rare good guy role. If you want to see a movie that overcomes its low budget to become genuinely compelling, this sleeper is a good bet.