Dark Blue

Dark Blue is a crime thriller set in Los Angeles in April 1992, as the city waits for the verdict in the trial of four white police officers accused of beating Rodney King. Against that mounting tension, Eldon Perry, a veteran detective in an elite LAPD unit, and his younger partner Bobby Keough investigate a robbery that ended in multiple killings. Perry is known for his aggressive methods and quick temper, and the case draws the two men into a web of corruption involving their superior, Jack Van Meter, and reaches toward Arthur Holland, the deputy chief of police, one of the few figures willing to challenge the unit. Bobby is forced to confront how the department operates, while Perry begins to question the tactics he has relied on.

Ron Shelton directed the film from a screenplay by David Ayer. It was Shelton's sixth feature, arriving between Play It to the Bone and Hollywood Homicide, and marked a departure from the sports comedies he was previously known for. Kurt Russell leads the cast as Perry, with Scott Speedman as Keough, Ving Rhames as Holland, Brendan Gleeson as Van Meter, Michael Michele as Beth Williamson and Kurupt as Darryl Orchard.

Made for about 15 million dollars, the film took roughly 12 million worldwide, a modest return. On IMDb it holds 6.6 out of 10 from around 26,000 votes, while on TMDB it sits at 6.2 from far fewer votes. Critics' ratings average 6 out of 10 across 129 reviews, broadly in line with audience opinion.