Review of Tactical Unit: Comrades in Arms (2009) by Chew Y — 18 Sep 2009
The film's main problem is that it can't seem to decide what it wants to be: a straight police drama, a bonding/buddy story, a lost-in-the-woods story, or a situational comedy. The principals play their parts mostly straight, but the inclusion of a comically inept fat dude and the Twilight-Zone-style score undermines any dramatic tension. The tone of the film is highly uneven, swerving wildly between gritty, absurd, creepy and various points in between.
The film starts well, with a premise rich with dramatic possibilities, but most of it remains unfulfilled at the end of the film. Numerous conflicts and potential directions are put out there in the film's first act, but most of them either disappear from the film or turn into trite cliches after the first act.
The actors are fine, but are unable to rise above the mediocre script-- a total waste of the fine talents involved. Do watch out, however, for an amusing subplot involving the stock archetype of the "crazy old man in the mountain". It was, to me at least, one of the few bright spots in the film.
The interweb tells me that this is the sixth entry in a long series, so perhaps I am missing some subtext. But I can say this much: first-time viewers of the series, stay away from this one.
This review of Tactical Unit: Comrades in Arms (2009) was written by Chew Y on 18 Sep 2009.
Tactical Unit: Comrades in Arms has generally received mixed reviews.
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