Detroit (2017)

A short review.  Good direction -check.  Good action sequences - check. Good acting - check.  The Script? Well, there's the problem. A  two-hour plus movie and I have trouble remembering one line. And I just saw it. Same with the characters, they mostly all blend together except those that  I disliked.

And what was the point?
Yeah, we're all against police brutality - but weren't the Detroit 1967 riots about more than that?  Seven thousand arrests, 43 dead (ten white), 400 building destroyed or burnt down. The 82nd Airborne had to restore order.  Whites fled the city, and it spiraled down into the mess it is today.  A great subject for a great movie, but one that would have to criticize both whites and blacks, police and liberal activists.  And that's one movie Hollywood would NEVER want to make.  So instead, we get a movie about some psycho white cops killing some shady black characters in a motel - when we needed characters we could care about. Or even remember.

Summary:  I'm not  a big fan of The Hurt locker (or Bigelow's work in general) so I wasn't surprised that Detroit didn't thrill me. Not enough story or engaging characters - too much mindless action  and hand-held cameras.   Rating 2 of 4.