36th Precinct (2004/Palisade Tartan DVD)
Picture:
B- Sound: C Extras: A Film: C+
The
French police have their own brand of justice and law... their own. When the next chief of police to be becomes an
issue, two lieutenants become the candidates. Leo a cop in the field, and Kline from
internal affairs and both will do anything to get the job done, but when the
new chief of police position falls between them, competition becomes deadly,
whoever solves then next case will get the position, rule and regulation are
thrown out the window and the line between cop and criminals blurs. Question is... who will be caught first?
This is obviously a cop story, a story between bad cop and corrupt cop like
we’ve seen plenty of times before. Two
outstanding cops, but neither one are really clean cop, both works behind the
laws and doesn't mind breaking them to get the job done, but when it comes to
their own and each other there is one unspoken rule, don't betray your brother.
When Kline betrays Leo and sends him to
prison for eight years to become superintendent, the line is crossed. Eight years later, Leo is free and he seeks to
truth to light that he was wrongly imprisoned.
This is a French film adding yet another credit to the long career of Gerard
Depardieu, joined here by Daniel Auteuil and André Dussolier, a story on how
dirty cops have to be to get the job done. The only difference between cops and criminals
is that they do it to serve others and not for self gain or interests. It is “OK” to betray snitches, break the law
or shoot criminals in the back, but it is not OK to betray one's own. This film was like a cops-only version story
of The Usual Suspects, except
nowhere nearly as good where everyone is guilty, but who is the mastermind? The anamorphically enhanced 2.35 X 1 image
was shot in the Super 35mm film format and that helps, while the lossy Dolby
Digital sound is a mixed bag. Extras
include director interview, documentary, costume tests, choice of weapons, and
trailers, which are more entertaining.
- Ricky Chiang
