Narc

After debuting with the very Tarantino-influenced but somewhat derivative Blood, Guts, Bullets and Octane (1998), writer/director Joe Carnahan returns with a more individual and hard-hitting work which easily measures up to the best policiers of the 70's and 80's. The reality of narcotics cops working undercover is brilliantly caught, for instance in the opening segment where a bust gone wrong leads to serious bloodshed of innocent by-standers. Contributing to this is the director's inventive use of under-appreciated actors like Jason Patric and Ray Liotta, for once getting meaty roles demonstrating their talents. Carnahan has studied modern crime cinema icons Michael Mann and William Friedkin closely - the latter's To Live and Die in L.A. (1985) is an obvious role model. But Carnahan effortlessly puts his own mark onto a genre which in its depiction of cops and criminals, has lately grown too good-naturedly post-modern. An obvious parallel can be drawn to Robert Aldrich's noir classic Kiss Me Deadly (1955), not only cinematically, but also in terms of its resemblance of Narc's stark bleakness. Jan Elvsén

Medverkande
Jason Patric, Ray Liotta, Busta Rhymes: Producent
Ray Liotta, Michelle Grace: Manus
Joe Carnahan: Foto
Alex Nepomniaschy: Musik
Cliff Martinez: Talat språk
English