Copshop

"How did you do that?" "Let's put a pin in that for a minute shall we?"

"Was she with you?" "Does it really matter?"

"What's got you so curious?" "Curiosity"

Copshop is built around a deed we never find out about and questions that are never properly answered. It's driving force is a macguffin, something that sets events in motion but is unimportant in of itself. Like the suitcase in Pulp Fiction or the Rabbit's Foot in Mission Impossible III or the plots of so many Hitchcock films, it's a stance that might leave some viewers unsatisfied but when it's this much fun who really cares.

The cops of a small (by American standards) station deep in the Nevada badlands are having a quiet one. Bossman Mitchell (Chad L. Coleman) is all about his burgers and rookie cop Valerie Young (Alexis Louder) is craving action and when she gets sucker punched by Teddy Muretto (Frank Grillo, dripping with sleazy energy in his second Joe Carnahan film this year, the other being Boss Level) she's about to get more than she can handle. Conman Teddy's on the run from some bad men and his best chance of survival is being locked up behind bars. Unfortunately, Bob Viddick (Gerard Butler in full on lunatic mode), the man chasing him has the same idea and soon both men are state property, in a building packed full of firearms.

Joe Carnahan's latest film is an enjoyable one. A low budget action flick that doesn't take itself seriously at all and one that's confident enough to take it's time to let us get to know it's cast before ripping them all to shreds. Styled and soundtracked (that Magnum Force music will make you grin) like something that slithered out of the 70's, built around a premise that would have felt right at home in the late 90's when every crime thriller felt in thrall to Tarantino but without the need to pack itself full of knowing nods and cutesy pop culture chat. At once it feels very familiar while being it's own beast too. Like Carnahan's 2006 slice of madness Smokin' Aces it lets it's tension build before allowing all hell break loose but unlike Smokin' Aces you'll actually want to see people survive this bloodbath.

Primarily Valerie, the film's moral centre. She's green as they come but as cool as a cucumber under pressure whether it's performing an emergency trachaeotomy or changing a door security code as bullets and glass fly by her. It's a star making turn from Louder and between this and TV's Watchmen just watch her rise high. Grillo's Murretto's a real piece of shit and even though the film gives us little about him the menace and ick still pours off his manbun topped visage. In full on menace mode is Butler, playing a man who once chopped off a victim's leg and beat him to death with it. Even standing still in a cell he feels dangerous and his run in with a drunken frat boy will, depending on your disposition, either make you squirm or burst out laughing. Butler's the big marquee name but playing a supporting role here which is good because a little Viddick goes a long way, especially when the bullets start flying.

And that they do, revolvers, semi automatics, full on machine guns, all introduced early in amusing riff's on the Chekov's gun principle. Part of the joy of this is wondering how and when they'll be seen again and when they are Carnahan finds all manner of ways to keep the action interesting. Also keeping things on their toes when they threaten to slow down midway through is Toby Huss's psychopathic Tony Lamb who's first introduced carrying a bunch of kid's balloons before blowing someone's brains out. While channeling Curtis Mayfield or adoring his own gooey handy work he adds an interesting spark to proceedings and another layer of unpredictability to the film. Because that's what familiar feeling films like this need, uncertainty, a bit of murkiness, something to keep you guessing.

Copshop is out in cinemas now. It's good fun, it will make you laugh and it doesn't outstay it's welcome.