a5c7b9f00b A legal attorney and renegade cop team up to stop a corrupt cop. A drug dealer shoots a corrupt police officer. Though the drug dealer admits his guilt, he pleads self-defense. His lawyer, Roland Dalton, and renegade loner NYPD narcotics agent Richie Marks, pursue evidence in his favor. They encounter difficulties from other corrupt police officers, drug dealers, and various street scum. Dalton&#39;s life is further complicated by the fact that the prosecuting attorney is a former lover. Director James Glickenhaus (The Soldiers, The Exterminator, McBain) has composed a reasonably well constructed thriller with the usual spectacular action sequences and an interesting plot. This time though, the strong performances from the lead stars help propel Shakedown above the usual mundane low budget films. Peter Weller (Robocop, Screamers) is excellentRoland Dalton, a frustrated attorney who must help defend a troubled youth who has been accused of murdering a police officer. However, there is more to the scene of the crime than meets the eye…<br/><br/>Sam Elliot (Road House) is grandRichie Marks, a rogue police officer who is always at the wrong place at the right time. Marks and Dalton happen to form a &quot;buddy-buddy&quot; type bonding, and their investigation eventually leads knee deep into a conspiracy of corruption, deceit, and murder…<br/><br/>Shakedown is a decent action flick with an intriguing plot with enthralling plot twists and top notch action sequences. The fist fight aboard a moving roller coaster is a highlight and the extended vehicle chase through the streets of Manhattan is another highlight.<br/><br/>What makes Shakedown an exceptional thriller though, is the three dimensional performances. Peter Weller is definitely the performer worth watching in Shakedown. His convincing portrayala tough lawyer adds an extra depth of integrity to an otherwise standard &quot;kill or be killed&quot; actioner. Sam Elliot has his moments tooa cynical renegade cop who helps Weller expose corruption in the police department.<br/><br/>Shakedown is worth watching just for the high caliber performances from both Weller and Elliot. The action scenes are worthwhilewell. The only setback though is these action sequences are used a little too sparesly. The lack of a breathtaking pace destroys an almost superior thriller. Otherwise, Shakedown is an adequate film. This movie would benefit greatly with a faster pace, but the acting from stars Weller and Elliot make Shakedown a film worth a look.<br/><br/>RATING: **1/2 out of ****. Behold! Another movie about crooked New York cops and the two unorthodox cop and lawyer that gives them the shakedown. The story was alright, but the action scenes were tremendous. In fact, they were too good for a movie that had a very solemn thriller aspect in addition to having trouble picking up the pace at points. Things will go slow and then bam! Some wild action scene occurs. This also makes the ending, ala True Lies, far too ridiculous to really enjoy. Perhaps, if the story was all about Sam Elliots character, the quiet and rugged cop who doesn&#39;t ask too many questions, it would seem fittingan explosive cop shootout kind of movie. But the film is transplanted into the courtroom with subtlies of Peter Weller&#39;s character, a lawyer, who is defending the drug dealer accused of killing a cop who is part of a whole line of New York&#39;s finest shmoozing the city&#39;s notorious drug dealers. <br/><br/>This movie wasn&#39;t too bad, and probably enjoyable for those who like cheap, 80s cop thriller movies without too much regard to writing. If they&#39;d have kept up with the action scenes, it&#39;d made a fine action/suspense film. And, without all the action, it&#39;d made a fine thriller. It just changes tempo too often is all.
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