Summary
Hondo Harrelson recruits Jim Street to join an elite unit of the Los Angeles Police Department. Together they seek out more members, including tough Deke Kay and single mom Chris Sanchez. The team's first big assignment is to escort crime boss Alex Montel to prison. It seems routine, but when Montel offers a huge reward to anyone who can break him free, criminals of various stripes step up for the prize.
Cast
Samuel L. Jackson
Sgt. Dan 'Hondo' Harrelson
Colin Farrell
Jim Street
Michelle Rodriguez
Chris Sanchez
LL Cool J
Deacon 'Deke' Kaye (as James Todd Smith aka LL Cool J)
Josh Charles
T.J. McCabe
Jeremy Renner
Brian Gamble
Brian Van Holt
Michael Boxer
Olivier Martinez
Alex Montel
Domenick Lombardozzi
GQ
Reg E. Cathey
Lt. Greg Velasquez (as Reginald E. Cathey)
Larry Poindexter
Capt. Thomas Fuller
Page Kennedy
Travis
James DuMont
Gus
Denis Arndt
Sgt. Howard
Lindsey Ginter
Agent Hauser
Octavia Spencer
Neighbor in Alley
Noel Gugliemi
Latino Thug
Clark Johnson
Deke's Handsome Partner
Matt Gerald
Nick
Ken Davitian
Uncle Martin Gascoigne (as Kenneth Davitian)
Tricia Kelly
Waitress at Pub
Ashley Scott
Lara
Benjamin King
Customs Agent #1
Alex Trebek
(voice)
Reed Diamond
Officer
Neal H. Moritz
Driver
Max Thayer
Desk Officer
Jeff Wincott
Ed Taylor
Marcio Rosario
Dispatcher Garcia
Jay Montalvo
Spanish Newscaster
Michael Papajohn
Bistro Gangster #3
Sergio Kato
Prison Guard
Gregory Sporleder
Robber #1
Esther K. Chae
Reporter #2
Bruce Gray
Mr. Richard Segerstrom
Lucinda Jenney
Kathy
E. Roger Mitchell
Agent Kirkland
Jay Acovone
Lear Jet Pilot
Mario Aguilar Jr.
Beat-up Latino Thug
J. Grant Albrecht
Desk Officer #2 (as Grant Albrecht)
Peter Allas
Bistro Gangster #1
Frankie J. Allison
Robber #2
Nathan Andrews
Lead Gangster
Sara Arrington
Boxer's Wife
Michael Baker
Range Official
Dianne Barone
Newscaster #1
Tody Bernard
Subway Engineer
Melanie Kim Blank
Reporter #3
Joe Bucaro III
Robber #3 (as Joey Bucaro)
Andi Chapman
Customs Agent #2
Gregory Crane
Prison Guard
Brad Crosby
Lee
Tommy De La Cruz
Gangster #1
Bruce Dent
Waiter
Reed Diamond
Officer David Burress
Martin Dorsla
Hip Cop
Jamal Duff
LAPD Officer at Subway
Jessica Winther
Reporter #4 (as Jessica Edwards)
Colin Egglesfield
LAPD Officer
Steve Forrest
S.W.A.T. Truck Driver
Kenneth Franklin
Young Deputy (as Kenny Franklin)
Maria Galvez
Latina Woman
Garry Guerrier
Gamble's Thug (as Garry G.)
Willie Gault
Newscaster #2
Sheri Goldner
Dispatcher #1
Michael Gregory
Limo Driver
Michael Guarnera
Paramedic
Steven Hack
Injured Bank Manager
Krista Hartling
Motorcycle Cop
Daniel Ichikawa
Sgt. Yamoto
Dale W. Jones
Gangbanger #1 (as Dale Jones)
Bishop Don Magic Juan
Archbishop Don 'Magic' Juan (as Archbishop Don 'Magic' Juan)
Joseph Kung
Rail Unit Cop
Brendan Wayne
S.W.A.T Techie (as Danny La Cava)
Sergio Lambert
Kid in Alley
Jenya Lano
Monique
Brian Leckner
Cashier
Iris Little Thomas
Bank Supervisor (as Iris Little-Thomas)
Ricki Lopez
Agusta Pilot #2
Elio Lupi
Hot Dog Vendor
Alexander Lyras
Bistro Gangster #2
Larry McCormick
As Himself
Neal H. Moritz
Luxury Car Driver
Devika Parikh
Jail Intake Reporter
Rod Perry
Deke's Dad
Audra Platz
Dispatcher #2
Stephen Ramsey
Lear Jet Co-Pilot
Ken Rudulph
Reporter #1
Heather Salmon
Wounded Bank Teller
Ben Siegler
Sheriff's Deputy
Richard Steinmetz
S.W.A.T. Negotiator
David St. James
Polish Hostage
Arlow Stewart
Homeboy
Shannon Sturges
Mrs. Segerstrom
Rod Tate
Gangbanger #2
Max Thayer
Desk Officer #1
Atticus Todd
Gangster #2
Andy Umberger
Deputy Chief
Nick Vachon
Agusta Pilot #1 (as Nicholas Vachon)
Jamison Yang
Broker
Bridget Powers
Bridget The Midget
Michael S. Garcia
Birthday Party Kid
Eric Strickland
Lawyer
Crew
Director
Clark Johnson
Characters
Robert Hamner
Screenplay
David McKenna
Screenplay
David Ayer
Story
Ron Mita
Story
Jim McClain
Reviews
John Chard
September 25, 2014
6
Competent actioner.
S.W.A.T. is neither here nor there, in that if it was made ten years earlier it would in all probability be better thought of. The problem is that there is such a long line of action movies that entertain without pushing the boat out, some, like S.W.A.T., throw a good cast list at it and hope that carries the film through, others just go over the top with the pyrotechnics and think that is job done. Abandon hope of something fresh and exhilaratingly kinetic and S.W.A.T. passes muster.
The plot of S.W.A.T. basically sees Samuel L. Jackson put in charge of a crack team of five cops with attitude and guts. Their main mission, after all the training and baring out of character's respective traits and psychological make-ups, is to ensure an imprisoned drug kingpin doesn't get broken out of jail after said scum-bag offers a huge cash reward to anyone that can break him out of said police custody. Cue crash, bangs, double-crosses and a face from the past coming back into the picture after being telegraphed by an incident that opens the film.
Along with Sam are Colin Farrell, Michelle Rodriguez, LL Cool J, Josh Charles and Brian Van Holt. Oliver Martinez slips into the slimy villain shoes and Jeremy Renner does another one of his unhinged characterisations. Director Clark Johnson never breaks free of his TV roots, because the film often feels like a glorified TV episode, but his action construction is competent and he has decent actors to keep the film from sinking down among the dead men. Competent is the key word here, it's a decent time waster for the action movie fan, but really it feels like the action movie hadn't advanced much from the previous decade. A shame because there was much potential in the story. 6/10
