DVD Reviews

S.W.A.T.: Firefight – Blu-ray Review

By Jeff Swindoll Mar 3, 2011, 12:41 GMT

An expert in anti-terrorism tactics, hotshot LAPD officer Paul Cutler (GABRIEL MACHT, Behind Enemy Lines) is ordered to Detroit to train its S.W.A.T. team in the latest hostage rescue techniques. But everything changes when their botched response to a domestic dispute ends with a hostage down and a government assassin (ROBERT PATRICK, Terminator 2) now obsessed with terminating Cutler as well as his entire S.W.A.T. team. ...more

It’s not really a sequel to the first film, but it isn’t a film that offers anything new either. What it is though is a passable action flick that features some good performances and a nice Blu-ray transfer. Just don’t expect too much more than that and you’ll not want to shoot out the telly.

Lt. Paul Cutler (Gabriel Macht), a hotshot from Los Angeles SWAT, is tasked to train a SWAT team in Detroit in new anti-terrorism techniques. He finds the new team not up to his standards and immediately encounters resistance from some his new squad although he does find the time to spark up with police psychologist Kim Byers (Carly Pope).

Unfortunately, an assignment ends up with the death of a woman (Kristanna Loken) who was the object of the stalking affections of ex-government agent Walter Hatch (Robert Patrick). Hatch swears revenge on the SWAT team and Cutler has to call up all his training to make sure that he’s not successful.

I didn’t see the first film, but that really doesn’t matter as this is more of a “in name only” sequel to the first film. It’s directed by a fellow named Benny Boom, which seems like a name meant to helm action films. I will have to begrudgingly admit that it’s not a particularly bad film it’s just so derivative of these types of films that it sort’ve blends into the woodwork of action films.

We have the standard evil government guy vows revenge on our hero plotline. Our hero is played decently by Gabriel Macht and our villain is played with gruff gusto by ex-Terminator Robert Patrick. The team our hero is called into certified is made up of likable characters but it’s really our heroes show. Director Boom adds in some videogame type camera moves that really didn’t do much for me either but it does add some excitement to the firefights. It’s really nothing new, but it didn’t actually offend me too much either.

SWAT Firefight is presented in a 1080p high definition transfer (1.78:1). The only special feature is the 8 minute making of featurette, even if it is in high definition.

SWAT Firefight doesn’t exactly plow any new ground, but it didn’t offend me too much either. It does feature a good villain turn by Robert Patrick and that adds a bit to the proceedings. It’s an okay film and could’ve been worse, but nothing new shows up on the screen. What does show up on the screen does entertain if you want it to though.