Everyone is out to get Teddy Murretto (Frank Grillo) & he deserves it
If you want to see a shoot’em up action movie then director-writer Joe Carnahan made a movie that is right up your alley. The bad guys who come to a little Podunk Reno police station are played by Gerard Butler and Toby Huss have one thing in mind is to get their target and everyone else is collateral damage. Now Frank Grillo is NOT playing a good guy really not even someone who is ‘gray’ but this violent claustrophobic station attack movie really ratchets up not only the talent but use of shadow and surprise. I found it almost veering into horror I had to hide my eyes so many times.
I was excited to see the film because it’s not often Gerard plays a bad guy but what kept me intrigued was Alexis Louder who plays the rookie cop who’s too damn good for this station.
The film was shot during the Covid shut down and it takes advantage of the emotion and fears the actors, team, and everyone was feeling (still are really) where being trapped is almost a taste in your mouth.
The film starts in the desert with Teddy trying to escape assassins, dirty cops, and the FBI as he slowly realizes he may not be smart enough to get out of trouble. On the fly, he looks for a new safe spot at a Reno Casino with the bright idea of getting arrested so he punches Officer Valerie Young (Louder). This cascades with his arrest and a brief escape from Bob Viddick (Butler) with safety behind bars at the copshop. But every plan has a flaw and Viddick is a professional who follows him so he can take care of business.
While this is going on we get to know the fellow offices at the Reno station from the Precinct Sergent
Unfortunately for him, the hitman on his tail, Bob Viddick (Butler), is very inventive and pulls off a DUI arrest that lands him in the cell with a drunk guy named Brad (Marshall Cook) as a company. Coincidentally — or not — it is the cell right next to his prey, Murretto. Handcuffed to a cell bar, this sets off a confrontation, loaded with biting dialogue for the most part between these two adversaries. (Kurt McLeod joined Carnahan on the screenplay credit, with story by Mark Williams). Trying to keep the peace is the precinct sergeant Mitchell (Chad L. Coleman) and other officers who might have nefarious plans of their own. Did I mention the special delivery? Anthony Lamb (Huss) is someone who won’t get a tip from me. I don’t want to spoil all the twists and turns but Copshop is a hell of a ride! The movie builds on the terror of being locked up with murders like a rat in a cage.
It’s a wild roller coaster of assassins, murder, dirty cops, twists of who will live or die.
Let me know what you think of Butler taking a ride on the dark side after his being heroic in Greenland, Geostorm, and the ‘… Has Fallen’ franchise.
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