Lowered expectations lift big-screen ‘S.W.A.T.’

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In theaters

S.W.A.T., directed by Clark Johnson, written by David Ayer and David McKenna, 111 minutes, rated PG-13.

To enjoy “S.W.A.T.,” the latest blockbuster to hit theaters by way of a 1970s television show, you need to go into it with lowered expectations – a drag, I know, but a helpful tip nonetheless.

The movie has shortcomings that generally tend to sideline a film – heavy-handed product placements, lapses in logic, clumsy dialogue, a cliched opening that’s been beaten to death by Hollywood, and an uneven tone.

Ever a fighter, “S.W.A.T.” swats back with a solid cast, a blistering chemistry among the actors, and a handful of well-done, over-the-top action scenes that involve planes, trains and automobiles – and the inevitable destruction of each.

Add it up and you’re left with an above average movie that wins you over even though some moments occasionally let you down.

As directed by Clark Johnson (“Homicide”) from a script by David Ayer and David McKenna, the film stars Colin Farrell in his eighth movie in three years.

With the possible exception of Arnold Schwarzenegger, who’s busy grinning and glad-handing his way through California in his surreal attempt to become the state’s next governor, few actors in Hollywood are working harder than Farrell.

This time out, he’s Jim Street, a Los Angeles S.W.A.T. officer whose career is shown the back door after he and his hot-headed partner, Brian (Jeremy Renner), botch the film’s opening bank heist by ignoring orders.

Indeed, when Brian accidentally shoots a hostage in the shoulder, the preening, politically minded captain (Larry Poindexter) gives him the boot, Street is demoted to life in the munitions cage and both have the sort of falling out that suggests they aren’t through with each other yet.

With its weakest scenes out of the way, “S.W.A.T.” gets a healthy punch with the introduction of Hondo Harrelson (Samuel L. Jackson), a hilariously named, good-natured recruiting officer who’s assembling an elite team of S.W.A.T. officers for training.

Taking a shine to the cocky Street, Hondo adds him to his ragtag roundup of talented marksmen, which includes LL Cool J as Deke, Brian Van Holt as Boxer, Josh Charles as TJ and Michelle Rodriguez as Sanchez.

They complete their training just in time to battle the evil Frenchman Alex Montel (Olivier Martinez), a billionaire drug trafficker who uses the media’s interest in him to offer – on live television, no less – $100 million to anyone who can break him out of prison.

Naturally, every hungry hooligan within a 100-mile radius who owns a television set quickly dusts off his guns and rocket launchers. Soon, Harrelson’s S.W.A.T. team is busy dodging bullets and bombs from the most inhospitable of people.

With the exception of a few common character names, almost nothing here resembles the old TV show, which isn’t exactly a crime since the TV show was nothing to lock and load about.

The movie is at its best during those scenes in which the action doesn’t rub against the ridiculous, which happens especially toward the end, and when its characters are allowed to bond. With a sneer that could cripple most crime in L.A., Rodriguez (“Girlfight,” “The Fast and the Furious”) is once again a high point, as are Jackson and Farrell. Each take their stock characters as seriously as they can, breathing a measure of life into them that, if you listen carefully, occasionally sounds like a sigh.

Grade: B-

On video and DVD

HEAD OF STATE, directed by Chris Rock, written by Rock and Ali Leroy, 95 minutes, rated PG-13.

Let’s put the misconceptions to rest right upfront. The new comedy “Head of State” is not nor was it ever meant to be a film about the Clinton White House.

It’s a film that considers the possibility of someone such as Chris Rock running for president of the United States, an idea that will likely send ripples of horror through those determined to keep the White House white but will likely leave others cheering in front of their television sets.

As directed by Rock from a script he co-wrote with Ali LeRoi, the film creates a world in which Mays Gilliam (Rock), a down-on-his-luck alderman saddled with a criminally insane ex-girlfriend (Robin Givens), is plucked from relative obscurity to become the first black presidential candidate of a major political party.

Is the United States ready for such a historic event? One would assume Gilliam’s party would hope so, but they don’t.

Indeed, unbeknownst to Gilliam, they’re hoping he will lose the election to Brian Lewis (Nick Searcy), the current vice president, a man whose campaign slogan is among the film’s edgiest jokes: “God bless America – and no place else!”

With Lewis essentially unbeatable, Gilliam’s party wants to start building minority support now so that their real candidate, whiter-than-white Sen. Bill Arnot (James Rebhorn), can win in 2008.

And what better way to do that than to get behind a black man now?

Fueled by Rock’s clipped direction, his eye for satire, a hip-hop-heavy soundtrack and an inspired supporting performance from Bernie Mack as Mays’ wisecracking brother, “Head of State” has the same brisk, impatient style of Rock’s standup routines, which gives it energy, and unintended yet timely connections to the present gubernatorial circus boiling in California.

Grade: B+

Christopher Smith is the Bangor Daily News film critic. His reviews appear Mondays and Fridays in Style, Thursdays on WLBZ 2 and WCSH 6, and are archived on RottenTomatoes.com. He can be reached at BDNFilm1@aol.com.

The Video-DVD Corner

Renting a video or a DVD? NEWS film critic Christopher Smith can help. Below are his grades of recent releases in video stores. Those capped and in bold print are new to video stores this week.

About Schmidt ? A

Adaptation ? A

Agent Cody Banks ? C-

Bringing Down the House ? B

CRADLE 2 THE GRAVE ? C-

Daredevil ? D

Dark Blue ? B

Final Destination 2 ? B-

Frida ? B+

Gangs of New York ? C

Gods and Generals ? D-

HEAD OF STATE ? B+

HOUSE OF 1,000 CORPSES ? D

How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days ? C-

The Hours ? A

THE HUNTED ? C+

The Life of David Gale ? C-

THE LIZZIE MCGUIRE MOVIE ? C+

Narc ? A-

Phone Booth ? B

Pinocchio ? F

The Pianist ? A+

Punch Drunk Love ? B+

The Quiet American ? A

Real Women Have Curves ? A-

The Recruit ? B

Shanghai Knights ? B

Solaris ? C+

Spider ? B-

The Transporter ? B-

The 25th Hour ? A