Oh man... This sure doesn't... sound too good. Martin is one of those comedians that I sometimes like, but I loathed his tv show, which I felt was dreadfully unfunny. And I remember thinking for months of seeing ads for BAD BOYS, though the trailers looked good, that there was no way I'd see that movie cause I hated Martin... BUT... I did go and really liked that. Then there was that flick of his NOTHING TO LOSE, which I had fun with. But the trailers for this one seem a bit flat for me. We'll have to see what else we hear...
hey, just saw blue streak a week ago... here are my thoughts... it was only lcking end credits and supposedly some beginning ones, but i couldnt tell who was missing from the beginning - anyways....
i didnt have much of an opinion going in - i wanted to see the film based on the previews and the fact that ill pretty much see everything. i like some of martin lawrence's stuff - especially you so crazy, his concert film, and i though bad boys was fun as hell and ill see anything with a wilson in it (even never been kissed -andrew was in that one - and the godawful homefries) so my attitude was optimistic heading in, and here's what i think....
it has laughs, it has an alright cast and it's really a very mediocre (at best) movie. the pitch is really the best thing about it: a jewel thief (played by martin lawrence) steals a diamond worth almost 20 million dollars, gets double crossed by one of his co-horts (Peter Greene - Usual Suspects, The Mask, Permanant Midnight, etc..) and goes to jail - but not before stashing his diamond in the north wing of a building in the middle stages of construction. He gets out of prison years later to find that the building is now finished - and it's a LAPD precinct. So he has to get his jewel back, and the best way he figures he can do that is by pretending to become a cop. and, of course, since he's a criminal, he thinks like one, and is a ridiculously good cop. throw in a drug lord, and old friend who he can blow his cover (played by dave chappelle - half baked, the nutty professor), his wet-behind the ears partner (played by Luke Wilson - Bottle Rocket, Homefries) and you have yourself Blue Streak.
The director, Les Mayfield, did Encino Man (which i have to admit i thought was funny the first time i saw it) and Flubber - which had a good cast but I thought was lame as hell and a waste of time to make and/or watch, and he shouldn't do action. he has trouble following big action scenes, of which there are a couple, and the camera just sort of covers stuff seemingly at random and in no way adds tension or anything interesting to the proceedings. lawrence is a funny guy, and does a pizza delivery guy all old school 70s style - velour running suit, wack afro, and fake bad teeth - straight out of his tv show stylings - but it ain't that damn funny - it's sort of just stupid and sad and grossly misplaced for this thief to suddenly bust out this bizzare disguise to try to get in the precinct and it is never explained or repeated, so it seems like martin just probably really wanted to do it and no one told him, "no." the rest of the time, lawrence just does his - "im a funny guy doing this action thing" bit and it's all sort of... whatever. wilson is funny but relatively useless and william forsythe (Raising Arizona, Things to Do in Denver When You're Dead) has a small part that is absolutely useless. dave chappelle is pretty damn funny as a low-rent criminal and friend of martins, and their scenes are verbal and physical sparring matches and highlights of the film. peter greene is typically convicing s a scrupleless criminal, but doesn't get much to do. and there's NO women of any substance in the film - the woman who plays dl hughley's wife on the hughleys and was in the wood most recently is in the film for all of one scene, and that woman from boogie nights and 200 cigarettes - light skinned female... i cant remember her name... has an inconsequential part as an assisstant da or something of the sort...
there's an okay break-in scene at the beginning and some alright action and stunt stuff and a bunch of outright laughs - but not near enough as there could have been. it's a very straightforward hollywood comedy/action film with an ending that allows for a sequel, and probably any other director could have brought something, anything to the table besides the most basic aspect of putting a standard picture together... oh well, too late now...
MC Chill Wizard B
