Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- Brutal
- cynical
- oppressive
- paranoid
- serious movie night
- crime thriller marathon
What critics said
Critics broadly found Kurt Russell's performance compelling but considered the familiar dirty-cop premise insufficiently original and uneven in its treatment of police politics and race.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
The SIS operates through intimidation and extrajudicial justice while Assistant Chief Holland challenges the department's entrenched corruption.
The plot unfolds immediately before the Rodney King acquittal and ensuing South Central Los Angeles riots, with police brutality central to the conflict.
Eldon Perry's fiery street tactics and private code of justice drive the case while exposing his own ethical collapse.
The quadruple-homicide investigation runs alongside Perry's mentorship of Keough and Holland's effort to dismantle the SIS's methods.
Films like Dark Blue, and why
Training Day
shared dirty-cop crime thriller framework, police corruption, moral conflict, and abrasive urban tension
Narc
shared corrupt-police investigation, bleak institutional atmosphere, and morally compromised protagonists
L.A. Confidential
shared Los Angeles crime setting, police brutality themes, racial tension, and hard-edged thriller tone
Serpico
shared cynical crime drama, systemic corruption, and intense focus on compromised law enforcement
Movie Details
- Director
- Ron Shelton
- Release Date
- 2002-12-14
- Runtime
- 118 min
- Rating
- 6.2 / 10 (399)
Cast
- Kurt Russell
- Scott Speedman
- Michael Michele
- Brendan Gleeson
- Ving Rhames
- Kurupt
- Dash Mihok
- Jonathan Banks
- Lolita Davidovich
- Khandi Alexander
Where to watch in United States
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Dark Blue about?
- A volatile LAPD detective confronts the corruption, brutality, and racial crisis surrounding a high-profile murder case on the eve of the 1992 Los Angeles riots.
- What is Dark Blue like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Dark Blue as brisk, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as layered.
- Is Dark Blue violent?
- Yes. Ember rates the violence in Dark Blue as brutal.
- What did critics think of Dark Blue?
- Critics broadly found Kurt Russell's performance compelling but considered the familiar dirty-cop premise insufficiently original and uneven in its treatment of police politics and race.
- Which films are like Dark Blue?
- Films with a similar feel include Training Day, Narc, L.A. Confidential, and Serpico.
- How long is Dark Blue?
- Dark Blue runs 118 minutes.
- Where can I watch Dark Blue?
- In United States, Dark Blue is available to rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home.
