With all of the issues today with race and police brutality it was only a matter of time before more films took on the topic. It doesn’t matter which side you stand on the matter there is still an issue. The latest film, Black and Blue takes on the subject with more of an action film direction and stars Naomie Harris, Tyrese Gibson, Frank Grillo and Mike Colter. Could this film offer up something special to the cop genre or will it be a cam not worth fighting for?

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Black and Blue follows a rookie cop who inadvertently captures the murder of a young drug dealer on her body cam. After realizing that the murder was committed by corrupt cops, she teams up with the one person from her community who is willing to help her as she tries to escape both the criminals out for revenge and the police who are desperate to destroy the incriminating footage. I thought the trailers for this looked pretty interesting and had the potential to be a pretty powerful action flick if handled right, but what I got was a bit of a mixed bag.

 

This film offers up just a bit to set things up in the beginning before punching it with adrenaline and keeping it going until the very end. The issue for me is that a lot of it was predictable and unbalanced at times as it tried to decide if they were going to let the action or message be front and center. Don’t get me wrong it is filled with both and delivers exactly what I think it was hoping too, but I wish it had taken some time to let the message that is way more important get more of an impact.

 

I enjoyed the movie overall, but felt it played up more of a straight forward action film that much else, but thanks to the focus being directed back from time to time to the bigger message helped it stand out at times. Whether this film works for you or not there is no doubt that the message it is dealing with is an issue. This is one of those movies that some will see it as a generic action crime flick and others will feel its impact making it a film I think people should see to make up their own mind either way.

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This release not only includes the film but also bonus content including deleted scenes and featurettes taking you behind the action. Grab your copy of Black and Blue available now on digital, Blu-ray and DVD from Sony Home Entertainment.