What’s your racket? Yes, I do want to speak like they do in Gangster Squad

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100 movies of 2013

Gangster Squad

Los Angeles, 1949: A secret crew of police officers led by two determined sergeants work together in an effort to take down the ruthless mob king Mickey Cohen who runs the city.

I’m just going to come out and say it. Yes. I enjoyed Gangster Squad. There. Done. Happy? Confused? Does it feel like I’ve let you down?

You know, the thing with Gangster Squad is that, like a few other past films that have disappointed film fans, there was a lot of hype behind it. The cast. The whole look and feel of the trailers that were getting pumped out. It looked effortlessly cool and a film to be looked forward to.

I didn’t let my expectations get the better of me. And it worked. Sure, Gangster Squad is laden with gangster and crime drama clichés. Everything from the dialog to the characters to the story. It’s all very predictable. But damnit I didn’t give a crap.

The characters are perfectly clichéd. The gruff police sergeant, the smooth talker, sharp shooter, the dame, etc. All expertly played by the impressive cast members. None of the characters are a stretch for any of the actors to play. But this gal sure didn’t care. The action is perhaps a little over-stylised. I’ve never been a huge fan of computer generated blood splatters, but director Ruben Fleischer seems to love them. But, the action sequences were still fun to watch.

Of course, this increased enjoyment factor could all be down to the fact that I saw Gangster Squad in a stunning little cinema. I wonder if I’d have thought the same if I’d have seen the film at my usual multiplex.

Gangster Squad (Viewed: 15/01/13 | Rating: 4/5)

Check out all of the films I’ve seen this year:

3 films so far…

  1. Flight (Viewed: 01/01/13 | Rating: 4/5)
  2. Beasts of the Southern Wild (Viewed: 09/01/13 | Rating: 3/5)
  3. Gangster Squad (Viewed: 15/01/13 | Rating: 4/5)

13 Comments

  1. That’s what my podcast partner was telling me when we recorded last night. You and he said almost the exact same thing. Now I’m almost disappointed I skipped it. LOL.

    But I had a chance to play hookie on the movies, and I did. 😀

    • Be disappointed, Dan! It’s a good one to see at the cinema. But equally, think it’ll be a fun watch in the comfort of your own home.

  2. Ahah, I feel the same way when I reviewed The Last Stand. I enjoyed it ok folks, deal with it! 😀 Unfortunately, not the case with this one, but then again I didn’t really care for the cast.

  3. It’s January, which means you can’t expect too much from a flick like this. That’s why it’s actually a bit of fun to watch, with that mind-set in especially. Good review Jaina.

    • Totally. January’s a bit of a quiet month. Well, unless it’s the UK and you’re getting all of the big US releases late. Django, Les Mis, Zero Dark Thirty and Lincoln all out here this month!

  4. I can’t wait to watch it myself! It just look like fun. you know, one of those movies where it’s just fun to watch. I’m not expecting to be blown away, but entertained for a couple of hours.

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