Today’s quick review: Direct Action. Sergeant Frank Gannon (Dolph Lundgren), a veteran police officer, puts himself in the line of fire when he decides to testify against the corrupt officers of the Direct Action Unit. With Captain Stone (Conrad Dunn) and his men trying to silence him for good, Frank and his rookie partner, Officer Billie Ross (Polly Shannon), must stay alive long enough to gather evidence against Stone and take it to a grand jury.
Direct Action is a budget action movie about an honest cop who takes on his corrupt colleagues. Direct Action features an unusually cohesive plot for a movie of its scope. Sergeant Gannon has a clear objective to pursue, his relationship with Officer Ross evolves over the course of the movie, and there are a couple of decent twists along the way. These qualities are enough to make Direct Action a modest but competent entry into the action genre.
However, Direct Action lacks the originality or quality of execution needed to stand out. The plot hangs together well enough, but it’s generic and has no real surprises to offer. There’s enough action to keep things moving along nicely, but there’s not much in the way of novelty or raw spectacle. The same goes for the characters. Gannon and Ross are better developed than typical budget action heroes, but they still aren’t particularly memorable.
Direct Action will make for a decent watch for fans of the budget action genre and a substandard one for anyone else. Direct Action manages to avoid the usual pitfalls of its genre, putting together a cohesive plot and making the most of a limited action budget. But while these accomplishments are enough to make the movie watchable, they aren’t enough to make it stand out from a crowded field. Most viewers would still be better off looking elsewhere.
For a more compelling thriller about police corruption, try Training Day, 16 Blocks, or Street Kings.
5.0 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it a 5.5 for decent quality without much to make it unique.