REVIEW - Brooklyn's Finest

Director Antoine Fuqua tries to recapture some of the Oscar-winning glory of 2001's Training Day with this gritty ensemble drama and is at least partly successful.

The interweaving tale of three unrelated New York City cops takes us into some very dark territory - particularly in the case of Ethan Hawke's character, a good man worn down by the demands of a large and ailing family. He gives a powerhouse performance, easily overshadowing a mis-cast Richard Gere and the inconsistent Don Cheadle and its good to see ever charismatic Wesley Snipes back in a theatrically-released film.

The visuals are strong and the violence overtly grim but ultimately it's the glut of clichés which spoils Brooklyn's Finest - first time feature writer Michael C. Martin peoples his script with overly familiar types right through to the dramatic but utterly predictable finale. Watchable but flawed.

3/5