Hollywood movie experts and movie critics may have their fair assessment of The Rookie, and they may also say I have poor taste for my positive verdict on the movie. But for me this movie is one of my favorite 90s classic cop & buddy movies since the time of its release, along side movies like Red Heat, Lethal Weapon, and Point Break. Some say The Rookie does not par with Lethal Weapon and other good cop movies. It's not supposed to be like other cop movies, otherwise it would become another stale version of other movies before it. Instead the movie has its own unique plot and action scenes that sets it apart from other cop movies of the time. If you've seen Bad Boys II then you'll know that the hair-raising car chase scenes with the Jamaican villains dumping cars as Will Smith and Martin Lawrence avoid crashing into a pile up, were all borrowed elements from The Rookie initial car chase scene. Even the foot chase on the runway at the airport in the movie Heat starring Al Pacino and Robert Deniro, borrowed similar elements from the foot chase over the runway and into a crowded Airport towards the end of The Rookie. There's no doubt that other subsequent cop movies like Heat and Bad Boys II all borrowed action scenes from The Rookie.
For me this movie is a classic no doubt and one of my best Clint Eastwood movies. If you are a movie buff who keeps a collection of action classics, this movie should definitely be among your eclectic collections cause they don't make movies like this anymore.
It may have some out-of-place elements such as the late Raul Julia, and Sónia Braga both from South America, playing Germans. But Raul delivered well enough for me not to pay attention. He played a good villain than anyone else would have played the role. Raul Julia was a great actor to watch on screen who went too soon.
If you're a true Eastwood fan, you'll overlook the drawbacks and appreciate the movie as well as the great star casts as well as the film score by the late Lennie Niehaus. And if you're a fan of this movie like myself, you'll probably have favorite lines, action scenes, and villains like Loco Martinez and Little Felix.