The Rookie (1990)

Directed by Clint Eastwood. Starring Clint Eastwood, Charlie Sheen, Raúl Juliá, Sônia Braga, Lara Flynn Boyle, Pepe Serna, Tom Skerritt, Marco Rodriguez, David Sherrill, Tony Plana, Xander Berkeley. [R]

Eastwood plays one of his trademark macho, tough-as-nails law enforcement anti-heroes, partnered with a young, rich kid cop (Sheen) with a chip on his shoulder, targeting a major car theft ring in Los Angeles. Mostly routine stuff, with the stars failing to establish a good rhythm or rapport, although Juliá and Braga’s malevolent performances as the underwritten villains add some texture (and question marks, since they’re supposed to be playing Germans). Even Eastwood’s direction is weak, fooling around with too many bad clichés (starting with the dumb opening scene) and demonstrating disinterest in geographic clarity during the action scenes. Resembles a parody at times—some of the line readings from their LAPD superior (Serna) inspire bad laughs—but there’s barely a pulse, let alone a funny bone. Genre fans will appreciate seeing Clint spend the first and last acts smokin’ scumbags and stogies, but what will they think of his bondage rape scene in between? Stick with the first few Dirty Harry pictures.

42/100