Rampart

R

Released Feb 10, 2012

1h 43m

Crime

Drama

List

74%

Tomatometer

149 Reviews

35%

Popcornmeter

10,000+ Ratings

In 1999, Officer Dave Brown (Woody Harrelson), a 24-year veteran of the Los Angeles Police Department, tends to follow his own code of rough justice. A number of years earlier, he was implicated in the death of a serial rapist. Brown's violent tendencies once again land him in hot water when a video of him beating up a suspect plays all over local TV. An assistant DA (Sigourney Weaver) pressures him to retire, but Brown edges closer and closer to a meltdown.

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Critics Consensus

Rampart sends viewers plummeting into a nihilistic hell of its protagonist's creation, yet Woody Harrelson's performance in the central role is too magnetic to dismiss.

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Roger Moore

Tribune News Service

This movie feels too undecided. The movie is so intent on not being "Training Day" that it just isn't "Training Day" enough.

Rated: 2.5/4

Aug 5, 2012

Full Review

Tom Long

Detroit News

Where's it all go? Nowhere, really, just down a dirty, disappointing hole. Harrelson deserved better.

Rated: C

Mar 9, 2012

Full Review

Moira MacDonald

Seattle Times

It's a remarkably compelling film.

Rated: 3.5/4

Mar 1, 2012

Full Review

D.M. Palmer

Vague Visages

What really distinguishes Rampart from the standard police corruption film, and prevents it from sliding into outright misanthropy, is its focus on the emotional stakes.

Nov 9, 2023

Full Review

Matt Brunson

Film Frenzy

Rampart is more of a character study than any sort of crime procedural, and it’s all the better for it.

Rated: 3/4

Jun 27, 2023

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Allen Almachar

The MacGuffin

Officer Brown is such a terrible person that he becomes almost a caricature ... by the end of the movie, nothing about him left any kind of resonance.

Rated: C+

Aug 4, 2020

Full Review

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Jelisije J

A movie about a bad corrupt cop recognizing he is a bad person and must reconcile with himself and his family and thats the story folks.......possibly the worst cop movie that you will see that is hold together by the great actor that is Woody Harrelson.

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

07/31/24

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Chris P

"Rampart" is a gritty, intense drama set against the backdrop of the Rampart scandal in the LAPD during the late 1990s. The film delves deep into the life of Dave Brown, a corrupt and brutal cop struggling with his own demons and the systemic corruption around him. “Rampart” is a complex, thought-provoking film that challenges viewers to confront uncomfortable truths about morality, corruption, and the human condition. Its strength lies in its nuanced portrayal of a deeply flawed protagonist and the unforgiving world he navigates.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

06/16/24

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Jeffrey P

Similar to Bad Lieutenant, an unlikable but amusing character trapped in a mess of police corruption revolving around him and his life as it swirls around the drain. Gets repetitive, whether you think he is right or wrong... and by the end you don't care.

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

03/25/24

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Michael J

One of the worst movies I've ever seen in my 38 years of life. I wish I could rewind time and stab myself instead of watch this.

Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars

02/15/24

Full Review

Ken W

An absolute waste of film,,time!

Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars

10/04/23

Full Review

Thomas V

I love Woody Harelson but this movie is awful. I tried giving it a chance and watching the entire movie. It only gets worse as the movie progresses.

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

08/03/23

Full Review

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Oren Moverman

Director

Woody Harrelson

Dave Brown

Ben Foster

General Terry

Anne Heche

Catherine

Ice Cube

Kyle Timkins

Brie Larson

Helen

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Oren Moverman on Rampart and Directing Woody Harrelson

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Synopsis

In 1999, Officer Dave Brown (Woody Harrelson), a 24-year veteran of the Los Angeles Police Department, tends to follow his own code of rough justice. A number of years earlier, he was implicated in the death of a serial rapist. Brown's violent tendencies once again land him in hot water when a video of him beating up a suspect plays all over local TV. An assistant DA (Sigourney Weaver) pressures him to retire, but Brown edges closer and closer to a meltdown.

Director: Oren Moverman
Producer: Ben Foster, Lawrence Inglee, Ken Kao, Clark Peterson
Screenwriter: Oren Moverman, James Ellroy
Distributor: Millennium Films
Production Co: Amalgam Features, Lightstream Entertainment, Third Mind Pictures, Waypoint Entertainment
Rating: R (Sexual Content|Pervasive Language|Some Violence)
Genre: Crime, Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Feb 10, 2012, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Dec 8, 2015
Box Office (Gross USA): $969.2K
Runtime: 1h 43m

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