The lackluster story of SWAT: Unit 887 with problematic acting and cinematography enters the home video market on DVD. Not the sharpest tool in the shed, the movie gets very predictable, shows its low budget and makes novice mistakes. That said the film does have a lot of police action and some tense moments.
The film opens with the LAPD SWAT team rescuing a woman during a human trafficking bust. Officer partners Chris Cutter (Timothy Woodward Jr.) and Sam Hicks (Richard Bachelor) participated in the raid coming out unscathed. The bust turns into big coverage on the news with the LAPD being commended for their actions. Also getting coverage is State Senator James Abrams who’s running for reelection and opposes the Bio Weapons program that is scheduling a meeting in LA.
A short time later Damian White (Tom Sizemore), an ex-military vet who has led a life of international crime, gets off an airplane at LAX. Meanwhile Special FBI Agent Melanie Hamlin (Mischa Barton) has received information that White has touched down on US soil. SWAT Capt. Michael Ryan (Michael Pare) of the LAPD gets called in by the FBI to help take down the despot White and his crew. He appoints Cutter and Hicks to assist the FBI in locating White. When things start getting dicey involving Dr. Claire Landis (Emilie Jo Tisdale), a Bio Scientist, being targeted both Cutter and Hicks find themselves in a war.
Director/actor Timothy Woodward Jr. helms the feature film putting his cast through their paces and taking one of the main roles. While he has acted in 18 films, three of which he directed, his ability to work his cast to the levels of above average are not shown in SWAT: Unit 887. The most blatant mistake is the fighting choreography that creates all the action. Very underwhelming with punches missing yet dropping assailants, kicks falling short on attackers with damage being done and gun shots that sound like a child’s cap gun toppling characters during a close range shootout. The use of low budget special effects in the editing adds to the negative side of the production.
I can’t say much about the cast as characters are not developed well and the dialogue they have to use wreak with ambiguities and very mundane. Add to this the predictability of their actions knowing results. There are a few sparks however and that being Sizemore who does know how to deliver lines no matter how ordinary and make the film somewhat dramatic. I also liked the performance by Michael Pare as the Captain of the LAPD. He does provide some urgency to the story-line’s dramatic situations and acts out his character enough to add some entertainment to the film.
SWAT: Unit 887 has not been rated by the MPAA, but it does contain abusive language, violence, brutality, drug use and sexual situations.
FINAL ANALYSIS: A very routine direct to video crime drama. (D)
Specifications and additional video information:
Cast: Tom Sizemore, Mischa Barton, Timothy Woodward Jr., Michael Pare, Marlon Young, Jeremy London, Said Faraj, Emilie Joe Tisdale, Richard Bachelor
Director: Timothy Woodward Jr.
MPAA Rating: Not Rated, Contains violence, language, brutality, drug use, sexual material
Genre: Drama, Crime,
Running Time: 1 hr. 35 min.
Video Release Date: September 29, 2015
Language: English
Reviewed Format: DVD
Audio: English 5.1 Surround
Video: 16×9 Widescreen
Subtitles: English SDH, Spanish
Number of Discs: 1 Disc
Distributed by: Alchemy
Writer, critic, film editor John Delia, Sr. has been on all sides of the movie business from publications to film making. He has worked as a film critic with ACED Magazine for more than 20 years and other publications for a total of 40 years. He earned a Bachelor’s degree in communications from the University of Florida. John is a member of the Southeastern Film Critics Association and Critics Association of Central Florida Send John a message at jdelia@acedmagazine.com
