Cast
Miles Logan (Martin Lawrence)
Detective Carlson (Luke Wilson)
Tulley (David Chapelle)
Detective Hardcastle (William Forsythe)
Deacon (Peter Greene)

Directed by Les Mayfield Written by Stephen Carpenter

Rated PG-13 for action violence, language, and crude humor
Running Time: 93 minutes Distributed by Columbia

Blue Streak is a dumb comedy that audiences have seen before in years past. Miles Logan (Lawrence) is a cocky jewel thief that gets double-crossed during a 20 million dollar heist by his partner Deacon (Greene). Miles hides the diamond he stole in a construction site before the police arrest him. Two years later, Miles is released from prison and anxious to get his diamond back. The only problem is the site where he hid it is now a Los Angeles police station. After one failed impersonation, Miles cons his way into the station as a phony detective. All Miles wants is to get his diamond, but he ends up becoming the most talked about man in the police precinct. After being given a new brainless partner, Carlson (Wilson), Miles begins solving crimes by using his past criminal knowledge. Thus, leading to being promoted and admired by the police, when he is only there to get his precious diamond.

Blue Streak is a film that tries to give the entertainment quality of past comedies like Beverly Hills Cop, 48 hrs., and Bad Boys. However, this film is pretty weak. Everyone has seen this story before: a con cop making wise ass one-line remarks mixed with stupid sequences and a few explosions.

Blue Streak's script is crammed and junky. The transitions and characters are very soft and the dialogue is thoughtless. The only few funny lines delivered from Miles were probably improvised by Martin Lawrence. The sequences are also vague. An example is how Miles just easily slips his way thorough every obstacle as if he is Axel Foley or James Bond.

Blue Streak does have some good actors in it. However, every performance in this film is mellow. Martin Lawrence, who delivered a nice performance last spring in Life, becomes so annoying in this film. He just totally overdoes it. He tries to blend physical comedy into his performance, which has worked effectively for Lawrence in the past, but fails him in Blue Streak. I also found David Chapelle, Miles' heist buddy, just as annoying. I just want Chapelle's character to shut up, because all he did was whine and bitch the whole movie. Luke Wilson, who I believe is going to be a nice actor in the future, is capable of doing a lot better work than his performance in Blue Streak as Miles' partner. Finally, there is William Forsythe, who tries to play the same character he did in The Rock, except not nearly as smart. Forsythe's character ends up becoming confusing in this supposedly comedic ensemble.

Blue Streak does have two or three moments that you will laugh at. An example is when Miles discovers that his police captain has a bad case of jock itch. However, these few funny scenes could not save this film.

I really found Blue Streak a repetitious and dumb movie. It just seems that every once and awhile, Hollywood tries to throw together a comedy and attach a big star to it, like Martin Lawrence. Films like Blue Streak have clicked with teenage audiences and pulled in a lot of money. That is all that studio executives need to know in order to greenlight the development of a movie like Blue Streak.

Report Card Grade: D

Beastman's Movie Reviews
Copyright, 1999 Joseph C. Tucker