DC Jackson

Excuse me for raining on some other's parade, but isn't this movie just another wanna be Avatar, only the good guys are AI robots this time. My issue with these kinds of films is they seem just like empty superhero films that hope people will accept them as something meaningful by tossing in some "cause" like oppressed peoples being harassed and destroyed by the US Cavalry, a whiff of Native American / Eastern philisophy, and several thousand dead bodies.

A slow burn realistic view of corruption within the ranks of the LA police department. Covered before in the film LA Confidential and others, yet I better liked the noir quality of this one, like actually being there as it happened. Always love Forest Whitaker since the days of Crying Game, and Johnny Depp does a compelling job as well. The two together have a rapport that seems like real people, friends. The fact that it's based on a true story only adds to the drama and realism.

Another well-crafted and well-received film by a master of Hollywood filmmaking, yet one does have to wonder if Scorcese isn't just beating the bush with yet another mafia tale that includes stars from many past Scorcese mafia films. It began to feel like a remake of Goodfellas after the first hour+ and in my opinion would have been more effective if it had ended under 2 hours. I admit I even fast-forwarded the last 20 minutes.

It seems alright when Hollywood distorts history, although considered evil if done by the likes of V Putin (revisionism). I think about another film Once Upon A Time In Hollywood where Charlie Manson didn't end up mass murdering all those folks after all. Pleasant... But totally unreal. In this case, an England of 200 years ago that controlled about a third of the planet through blatant suppression and murder of dark skinned people? How can anyone who understands something about history watch this and not be a bit offended. Not to downplay the sets and acting which were superb, no doubt.