GANGSTER SQUAD - archive from 16th January 2013.

Saw 'GANGSTER SQUAD' last night and was expecting big things from this 'inspired by real events' telling of the Mickey Cohen story of the late 1940's underworld of an emerging LA. 

Directed by Ruben Fleisher and starring a huge cast including Sean Penn as the violence obsessed gangster kingpin Mickey Cohen; and Josh Brolin, Robert Patrick, Ryan Gosling, and Giovanni Ribisi as the Gangster Sqaud; Nick Nolte as the Chief of Police, and with Emma Watson as the love interest, this has all the elements you would expect of a film of this type. 

Mickey Cohen has moved into town and is intent on controlling all underworld activity in LA and has bought the Police, the Judges, and just about anyone else in authority that might get in the way of his goal . . . or he just wipes 'em out completely instead! Wanting to settle down to a family life in the burbs (yeah right!) he begins to think that some local competition is trying to muscle in on his turf as his business interests get hit, but, soon he comes to realise that in fact it's the Cops. And so the revenge fest begins, the bullets fly and people die! Despite all this, I felt shortchanged as this relies on bullet ballet, exaggerated Tommy Gun fire, moments of extreme violence, stylised action, and slow-mo close-ups to deliver the thrills. 

Sean Penn hams it up as Mickey Cohen with prosthetic nose and sufficient menace, and all those supporting add weight, but if you are expecting 'The Untouchables, or 'LA Confidential' then you'll be disappointed - as I was. Entertaining enough but too many copy-cat nods to 'The Untouchables'' to make this just a tad Ho-Hum!

-Steve, at Odeon Online-