"Streak" of Satisfaction by Homer Yen (c) 1999
If you've seen "Beverly Hills Cop" or "Lethal Weapon" or any of a dozen other cop/buddy/comedy movies, then you probably know that all of these films follow a very similar recipe:
Add 1 overzealous and reckless character that doesn't quite fit in; Add 1 subdued or perpetually naive partner; Make sure one person is black and the other white; Include at least two scenes of cars traveling death-defyingly fast; Liberally sprinkle bullets during the finale; and Voila!
"Blue Streak" does not veer from this recipe, but despite the cookie-cutter plot, what really makes or breaks these kinds of movies for me is the energy level of the main character. And surprisingly (I say surprisingly because I had low expectations for this film), Martin Lawrence shows that he has the charisma and the vigor to keep this movie breezing along.
Lawrence actually isn't a police officer in this film. Well, not at first anyway. He's Miles Logan, who is quite an accomplished thief. With his team of fellow thieves and a plethora of high-tech equipment, he easily enters the most secure buildings while bypassing the most sophisticated alarm systems. The film's beginning is a fairly well-executed sequence where Logan scurries his way into a building with the ultimate goal of stealing a $17 million diamond. By disabling a key security monitor, stealthily hiding behind furniture, and utilizing an array of thieving tools that could probably also defuse a nuclear warhead, he successfully captures his prize. But his jubilation will be short-lived. Police have arrived and the driver of the getaway car has sped off. Meanwhile, one of his men, Deke ( ), turns on him. He wants the diamond for himself. Logan manages to barely escape from Deke to a nearby construction site. But the police are closing in. He quickly hides the diamond inside of an air conditioning duct before being arrested.
Two years elapse, and when he's finally released from prison, he revisits the site of his precious diamond. Unfortunately, he learns that the new building houses the Los Angeles Police Department. Security is tight and the place is teeming with officers. There's no way for him to just stroll in and to start crawling through the ventilation system. His plan is simple. Steal a security access pass; forge identification; and walk on in and retrieve the jewel. Well, two out of three ain't bad. Unfortunately, he is mistaken for a new transfer and is immediately dispatched on a case. To make matters worse, he is paired with a rookie partner (an affable Luke Wilson) who always drives the speed limit and stops when the traffic light changes yellow.
Logan will have to solve the case his own way, using his acquired street smarts and thieving background, in order to speed his return back to the police department. He does impressively well as a man of the law, and his unorthodox manner and tactics draw praise from his colleagues. But this attention can only endanger his true identity. Meanwhile, he is given more dangerous assignments and by now, Deke has reappeared to track Logan down for the diamond. "Blue Streak" may not break any new ground, but I was pleasantly surprised at how well the movie held together. This is one of those rare times where the actual film is much better than the previews had led me to believe. I also enjoyed Lawrence's performance who is likeably glib. The movie moves along at a brisk pace and despite Lawrence's reputation as a sometimes-crass comic, the film is appropriately rated PG-13 for some mild gunplay. With so many mediocre thrillers and dramas in the theatres, this film makes a fine Saturday afternoon choice.
Grade: B-
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