The most memorable thing about S.W.A.T.? The theme music which is lifted straight from the original TV series and used constantly throughout the film.
Directed by Clark Johnson, known for his TV work on The Wire and The Shield, and written by David Ayer and David McKenna (with plenty of uncredited rewrites), 2003’s S.W.A.T. is based on the 1970s action TV series created by Robert Hamner. I’m actually old enough to remember that show (or at least the toys from it) so there’s a bit of nostalgia baked in here for me. Unfortunately, the movie itself doesn’t live up to that memory.
The most memorable thing about S.W.A.T.? The theme music which is lifted straight from the original TV series and used constantly throughout the film. Here’s a fun bit of trivia: the disco version of the theme by Rhythm Heritage actually hit number one on the U.S. music charts back in 1976. I even had it on a 45. That theme sticks with you. The movie? Not so much.
The story follows Jim Street (Colin Farrell) and his partner Gamble (Jeremy Renner), whose reckless but effective tactics during a bank robbery go sideways when a hostage is injured. Gamble quits, Street gets demoted, and six months later, he’s recruited by Hondo (Samuel L. Jackson) to join a newly formed SWAT unit alongside a crew that includes Michelle Rodriguez and LL Cool J—basically a time capsule of early-2000s casting.
Their mission: bring down a drug kingpin who offers $100 million to anyone who can help him escape. It’s a great premise. You’d think that it should unleash chaos across Los Angeles. But the movie never fully capitalizes on that idea. You get glimpses of it, sure, but it never feels as big, dangerous, or interesting as it should. That’s kind of the theme of the whole movie: missed potential.
The action scenes are plentiful, and there are explosions and gunfights, but they’re shot in a way that drains them of tension. There’s no real suspense; no sense that the team might fail. The villain is bland, the characters are mostly stereotypes, and aside from Farrell — who at least tries to bring something to his role — everyone else feels like they’re on autopilot. Samuel L. Jackson plays Samuel L. Jackson, Michelle Rodriguez plays Michelle Rodriguez, and LL Cool J plays LL Cool J.
It’s not a terrible movie. It’s just a very average one. The kind of thing you throw on in the background while doing chores. It’s rated PG-13, so it never gets particularly intense, and it never rises above being a generic action film.
If you’re in the mood for something mindless where things blow up and bad guys get shot, it’ll do the job. But if you’re looking for something memorable or engaging, this isn’t it.
2.0 out of 5.0 stars
