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S.W.A.T.

Play trailer Poster for S.W.A.T. PG-13 2003 1h 56m Action Mystery & Thriller Play Trailer Watchlist
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48% Tomatometer 166 Reviews 52% Popcornmeter 250,000+ Ratings
Hondo Harrelson (Samuel L. Jackson) recruits Jim Street (Colin Farrell) to join an elite unit of the Los Angeles Police Department. Together they seek out more members, including tough Deke Kay (LL Cool J) and single mom Chris Sanchez (Michelle Rodriguez). The team's first big assignment is to escort crime boss Alex Montel (Olivier Martinez) to prison. It seems routine, but when Montel offers a huge reward to anyone who can break him free, criminals of various stripes step up for the prize.
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S.W.A.T.

S.W.A.T.

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Critics Consensus

A competent, but routine police thriller.

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Critics Reviews

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Nell Minow Common Sense Media By-the-numbers explosion flick -- no surprises. Rated: 3/5 Dec 28, 2010 Full Review J. R. Jones Chicago Reader As summer shoot-'em-ups go, this is pretty well executed, with plenty of macho posing and gunfire. May 20, 2008 Full Review Alan Morrison Empire Magazine Solidly entertaining without being spectacular. Rated: 3/5 Apr 1, 2006 Full Review Sean Axmaker Stream on Demand [Director Clark] Johnson knows how tell stories, and stories within stories, but he’s working around the material here, not within it. Nov 16, 2024 Full Review Patrick Bromley F This Movie! About as straightforward as action movies of this period get. I mean that in a good way. Apr 23, 2020 Full Review Leigh Paatsch Herald Sun (Australia) Need a dose of pulpy thrills, spills and kills? Just get on this irresistibly idiotic brawn-fest. Rated: 3/5 Apr 20, 2020 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Alexander S I thoroughly enjoyed S.W.A.T. for its lighthearted, entertaining value, and its early 2000’s eye candy cast added to its appeal. Though its basic plot made the film less compelling, but I felt this film’s focus was mostly towards its popular cast and their dynamic as the S.W.A.T. team they make. Grading: C+ Rated 3 out of 5 stars 10/20/25 Full Review thiago s Filme mais ou menos, o roteiro é fraco, as cenas são mais ou menos, a história é fraca, o elenco é fraco, e ninguém ajuda a melhorar o filme, os personagens são fracos, e o filme deveria ter cenas bem melhores e relevantes, para fazer o filme ser bom Rated 1 out of 5 stars 09/04/25 Full Review Travis C The editing could have been better. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 06/24/25 Full Review Hex x It's enjoyable to watch! Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 04/30/25 Full Review Virgo V S.W.A.T. was released in the United States on August 8th 2003 by Sony Pictures Releasing under its Columbia Pictures banner. The film received mixed reviews from critics and grossed $207 million worldwide. S.W.A.T. is a 2003 American action crime thriller film based on the 1975 television series of the same name. Written by David Ayer and David McKenna, with the story credited to Ron Mita and Jim McClain, directed by Clark Johnson and produced by Neal H. Moritz, the film stars Samuel L. Jackson, Colin Farrell, Michelle Rodriguez, LL Cool J, Josh Charles, Jeremy Renner, Brian Van Holt and Olivier Martinez. Like the TV series, the film revolves around a police Special Weapons and Tactics team operating in Los Angeles California. The plot follows Hondo (Jackson) and his SWAT team as they are tasked to escort an imprisoned drug kingpin/international fugitive to prison after he offers a $100 million reward to anyone who can break him out of police custody. Plans for a film adaptation of the 1975 TV series began in the 1990s, but never materialized until the early 2000s. Some say the 2003 movie S.W.A.T. has mixed reviews, with some critics finding it predictable and others finding it entertaining. Some say the movie is so predictable and lacks surprises. Others say the movie is a rehash of Top Gun. Some say the characters are generic and lack distinctiveness. Critics went so far saying it was a waste of time and lacks excitement, is tedious and boring. But I don't agree with that. Some say the villain is awkward and spends most of the movie in custody. Yeah so... where else should he be? Some say the movie is sloppy, with gangs trying to rescue the villain at the same time. I thought that was such a cool plot twist. But some do say the movie is entertaining and has a great soundtrack. It has a likable cast and fun, if not cool scenes with believable action sequences. Even Roger Ebert said "half an hour into watching “S.W.A.T.,” I realized the movie offered pleasures that action movies hardly ever allow themselves anymore. The characters had dialogue and occupied a real plot, which involved their motivations and personalities. In a S.W.A.T. team training scene, the trainees are running toward a target while shooting, and somebody asks, “No rolls?” The veteran cop in charge replies: “They only roll in John Woo movies–not in real life.” That’s the point with “S.W.A.T.” This isn’t a John Woo movie, or “Bad Boys 2,” or any of the other countless movies with wall-to-wall action and cardboard characters. It isn’t exactly real life, either, and I have to admit some of the stunts and action scenes are a shade unlikely, but the movie’s ambition is essentially to be the same kind of police movie they used to make before special effects upstaged human beings. “S.W.A.T.” is a well-made police thriller, nothing more. No Academy Awards. But in a time when so many action pictures are mindless assaults on the eyes, ears and intelligence, it works as superior craftsmanship." Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 01/24/25 Full Review Jason M D This is a good action movie I don't way it gets so much hate I for one enjoyed it Lot of good action I enjoyed the characters I love coming back to this movie Rated 5 out of 5 stars 07/15/24 Full Review Read all reviews
S.W.A.T.

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S.W.A.T.

S.W.A.T.: Official Clip - Bank Robbery Assault S.W.A.T.: Official Clip - Bank Robbery Assault 2:55 S.W.A.T.: Official Clip - The End of Line S.W.A.T.: Official Clip - The End of Line 3:03 S.W.A.T.: Official Clip - Answering the Call S.W.A.T.: Official Clip - Answering the Call 2:44 S.W.A.T.: Official Clip - Suspect on Foot S.W.A.T.: Official Clip - Suspect on Foot 2:44 S.W.A.T.: Official Clip - Training Day S.W.A.T.: Official Clip - Training Day 3:18 S.W.A.T.: Official Clip - Between Old Partners S.W.A.T.: Official Clip - Between Old Partners 2:58 S.W.A.T.: Official Clip - Violent Ambush S.W.A.T.: Official Clip - Violent Ambush 2:55 S.W.A.T.: Official Clip - Sniping the Transport S.W.A.T.: Official Clip - Sniping the Transport 2:26 S.W.A.T.: Official Clip - Bridge Shootout S.W.A.T.: Official Clip - Bridge Shootout 3:45 S.W.A.T.: Official Clip - Sixth Street Landing S.W.A.T.: Official Clip - Sixth Street Landing 2:55 View more videos
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Movie Info

Synopsis Hondo Harrelson (Samuel L. Jackson) recruits Jim Street (Colin Farrell) to join an elite unit of the Los Angeles Police Department. Together they seek out more members, including tough Deke Kay (LL Cool J) and single mom Chris Sanchez (Michelle Rodriguez). The team's first big assignment is to escort crime boss Alex Montel (Olivier Martinez) to prison. It seems routine, but when Montel offers a huge reward to anyone who can break him free, criminals of various stripes step up for the prize.
Director
Clark Johnson
Producer
Neal H. Moritz, Dan Halsted, Chris Lee
Screenwriter
David Ayer, David McKenna, Ron Mita, Jim McClain
Distributor
Columbia Pictures
Production Co
Original Film, Columbia Pictures, Camelot Pictures
Rating
PG-13 (Sexual References|Language|Violence)
Genre
Action, Mystery & Thriller
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Aug 8, 2003, Wide
Release Date (Streaming)
Apr 16, 2012
Box Office (Gross USA)
$116.6M
Runtime
1h 56m
Sound Mix
Surround
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