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Vice Squad

Play trailer Poster for Vice Squad R Released Jan 22, 1982 1h 35m Crime Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist Tomatometer Popcornmeter
50% Tomatometer 6 Reviews 64% Popcornmeter 1,000+ Ratings
An unlikely Hollywood hooker (Season Hubley) helps a detective (Gary Swanson) set a trap for a mutilator pimp (Wings Hauser).
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Vice Squad

Critics Reviews

View All (6) Critics Reviews
Eric Henderson Slant Magazine The film's vices are its virtue. Rated: 3/4 Mar 22, 2006 Full Review Nick Rogers Midwest Film Journal Unexpectedly accomplished aesthetics and an effectively unnerving turn from Wings Hauser aside, "Vice Squad" is simply too bogged down in slice-of-life reality to elevate itself above general unpleasantness into effective exploitation. Rated: 2.5/5 May 24, 2025 Full Review Matt Brunson Film Frenzy [UPDATED 2025 4K + BLU-RAY REVIEW] Hubley's good and Hauser's great, but, sleaze factor aside, there's little to distinguish this from a standard episode of, say, Kojak or T.J. Hooker. Rated: 2.5/4 Aug 17, 2019 Full Review Pat Padua Spectrum Culture a B-movie in prestige picture clothing, albeit the cinematic equivalent of a designer tube top. Aug 31, 2018 Full Review Dennis Schwartz Dennis Schwartz Movie Reviews At least you can't get a sexually transmitted disease by just watching such trash. Rated: C Aug 23, 2010 Full Review Chuck O'Leary FulvueDrive-in.com A lurid, but never less than watchable thriller dominated by Wings Hauser's intense performance as a vicious pimp. Rated: B- Mar 15, 2006 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

View All (72) audience reviews
Audience Member The real story of things that happen on the streets of Hollywood A Los Angeles businesswoman, known only by her street name of Princess, turns to prostitution to support herself and her young daughter Then she's forced by Detective Tom Walsh and his vice squad to help them arrest a brutal pimp named Ramrod for the murder of a prostitute named Ginger But when Ramrod learns that he was set up, he escapes from police custody and begins a long night of tracking down Princess while Walsh and his vice squad are always one step behind him Truth be told I'm not familiar with any of these actors But the movie takes place on one night with Princess unknowingly put in harms way and with Walsh attempting to stop Ramrod as fast as possible The real trick perhaps other than prostitution is staying alive There are decent thrills in this cause you're rooting for Walsh to bring down this pimp Can the streets ever be changed? Probably depends on who's looking out for who A smaller flick but with a worthy hero and a worthy villain caught in a world where the girls are either profits against their will or end up collateral damage that's all too real Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 01/23/24 Full Review Audience Member The only reason I cant give this movie the full 5 stars is because of the blatant, obvious insertion of the stunt woman wearing the horrible wig while getting smacked over the head with the chair near the end of the film. Horrible edit! Other than that - one of the greatest and grittiest movies of the 80s! Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 02/05/23 Full Review justin t This is true grit originating from the eighties. It is almost unbelievable that this is based on real life as there is so much sleaze. Everyone in this film is either a prostitute, a pervert or a cop. The story is good though and this lifts the production. It is hampered by rather bad technical aspects such as jump cutting, continuity and a bloke with a lens standing clearly in shot in a supposedly empty room. Not scary but the action is oddly thrilling. It is violent although not extreme or gory. Alright for a watch as long as you can get past the huge stack of eighties inner-city clichés. Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars 03/31/23 Full Review jon c The real story of things that happen on the streets of Hollywood A Los Angeles businesswoman, known only by her street name of Princess, turns to prostitution to support herself and her young daughter Then she's forced by Detective Tom Walsh and his vice squad to help them arrest a brutal pimp named Ramrod for the murder of a prostitute named Ginger But when Ramrod learns that he was set up, he escapes from police custody and begins a long night of tracking down Princess while Walsh and his vice squad are always one step behind him Truth be told I'm not familiar with any of these actors But the movie takes place on one night with Princess unknowingly put in harms way and with Walsh attempting to stop Ramrod as fast as possible The real trick perhaps other than prostitution is staying alive There are decent thrills in this cause you're rooting for Walsh to bring down this pimp Can the streets ever be changed? Probably depends on who's looking out for who A smaller flick but with a worthy hero and a worthy villain caught in a world where the girls are either profits against their will or end up collateral damage that's all too real Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 03/31/23 Full Review Damian L It was entertaining Rated 3 out of 5 stars 06/02/25 Full Review Audience Member Pretty awesome, sleazy little B-movie, about a douchebag pimp who tries to carve up a prostitute that turned him in. It's a surprisingly effective cat and mouse game, even if it's a bit implausible. Swanson is really interesting as the cop who's trying to catch the scumbag. It's too bad he didn't have a bigger career, he makes a really engaging leading man. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 01/09/20 Full Review Read all reviews
Vice Squad

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Movie Info

Synopsis An unlikely Hollywood hooker (Season Hubley) helps a detective (Gary Swanson) set a trap for a mutilator pimp (Wings Hauser).
Director
Gary Sherman
Producer
Brian E. Frankish
Screenwriter
Sandy Howard, James J. Docherty, Robert Vincent O'Neill
Production Co
Hemdale Studios
Rating
R
Genre
Crime, Drama
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Jan 22, 1982, Limited
Release Date (Streaming)
Aug 13, 2019
Runtime
1h 35m
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