60
Shelton has directed Dark Blue in a jacked-up urban thriller style that simply does not play to his gifts. He's a sidewinder, the sort of writer-director who tells his stories through loopy character details and anecdotes.
What are people saying?
What are critics saying?
50
In the wake of TV's powerhouse "The Shield," Dark Blue comes off as something of a retread, with little of "The Shield's" electric fury, edgy camera work or deft characterizations.
60
The New York Times by Dana Stevens
Unfortunately, the rest of the movie does not live up to Mr. Russell's performance.
40
My own view is that, like me, the LAPD was defeated by the movie's incestuously proliferating plots. I've seen Dark Blue twice, and I still don't have a handle on all its comings and goings.
38
New York Daily News by Jack Mathews
Creates a hellishly evil portrait of a police department in which every white cop is either a racist thug or an enabler, and every black cop a disgusted observer or crusading hero.
60
Los Angeles Times by Kenneth Turan
Sensitively directed by Ron Shelton and helped by what just might be the best performance of Kurt Russell's career, Dark Blue is as interesting and successful as it can be within its limits, but those limits make this a more generic film than its makers intended.
38
Charlotte Observer by Lawrence Toppman
Dark Blue proves again what a remarkable actor Denzel Washington is. Too bad he's not in it.
100
Baltimore Sun by Michael Sragow
Dark Blue is one of those totally happy surprises that moves so quickly and curves so sharply that it leaves this era's hyped critical hits looking like beached whales.
10
The New Republic by Stanley Kauffmann
Imagine finding the will to get up every morning to do another day's work on this stale story tarted up with relevance.
63
In the end, the problem with movies like Dark Blue is that they willfully ignore the systemic, historical, cultural, and class causes of racism in favor of pinning it all on a few bad apples. Sure, that's entertainment. It's also a lie.