Underpowered Ellroy adaptation

Ron Shelton's uneven cop thriller tells the story of tough LA cop Eldon Perry(Kurt Russell). Perry is part of the city's SIS squad and doesn't mind bending the rules to get the job done. Perry's superiors mostly tolerate his tactics as long as he gets the results, but Chief Arthur Holland(Ving Rhames) is determined to take down Perry's crew and become LA's first black chief of police.

Set against the backdrop of the Rodney King trial, 'Dark Blue' is little more than a slightly above-average thriller. Shelton tries to maintain a tense, gritty tone but this genre is clearly not his forte, and he often lets the story lose steam. Shelton's handling of the climate surrounding the King trial is also patchy and the two levels of the film never really cohere.

The main reason to watch 'Dark Blue' is the performance of Kurt Russell. His characterisation of Perry is rich and credible, giving the film a magnetic centre which holds the viewer's attention while the story fumbles around. The supporting cast are badly underwritten next to Russell, with Brendan Gleeson and Ving Rhames doing well to make an impression with their insufficient screen time.

After a promising opening the second half of the film becomes depressingly conventional and the climactic shoot-out is a damp squib. A director more confident in the genre may have delved deeper into the racial tensions of the time, making the film a more intriguing prospect. Although 'Dark Blue' may be muddled and conventional, it offers some exciting set-pieces, one or two surprises and a lead performance of considerable power.