'Blue Streak' by Les Mayfield Review: A remnant of the buddy-cop action genre with comedic elements

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I recall seeing Blue Streak for the first time in my early teens. Upon the purchase of a DVD player my family now had the luxury of, alongside it came a collection of thirty different films released within the last two decades. Some were of different genres. Some good, some bad.

Growing up, most of the films I did manage to see were aired on television in the evenings. It was a rarity in which new DVDs were purchased, so this small collection we did have meant a frequent rotation of films I had seen before was in place: Blue Streak being one of my favourites.

Now, Blue Streak isn't by any means a great film. Nor is it one that you could rewatch with ease. However it's one that I look back at fondly for its light-hearted attempt at a comedic buddy-cop film of the late 90's as the genre itself stood on its last legs. I also have an obligation to mention the incredibly dated, and simply terrible music choices that do not translate well into modern times, which in a way adds to the soul of the film.

Shot on 35mm film in Los Angeles, Blue Streak follows an accidental anti-hero played by Martin Lawrence that falls into the act of playing Cop for the LAPD in order to retrieve a stolen diamond he stashed two years prior in what unfortunately became the LAPD's station. It's a simple premise that allows for multiple comedic elements to ensue as our protagonist's street smarts and behaviour intervene with the more bureaucratic nature of law enforcement.

In terms of its directing and cinematography, Blue Streak is filmed precisely how you'd expect, and itself is clear of the typical 90's Los Angeles style: static cameras and basic composition in the use of close-ups and rule-of-thirds, but it works. It plays way for the comedic elements and on-screen appearances take reign as its narrative draws to a close and the film's budget majority gets explosive. One could even make reference to Lawrence's other works in the buddy-cop action genre alongside Michael Bay, however, tuned down to about six.

There's really not a whole lot to discuss regarding Blue Streak, other than its existence now being the remnants of an era in film that's now long gone. For its style and genre being few and far between, shot with more and more slapstick comedy and special effects. In a way, what makes Blue Streak shine and stand out is its ability to seemingly come across as entirely possible. The characters, while somewhat oblivious and dim, are quite grounded. Their thoughts and actions are very much real even through the comedic moments, which just amplifies our connections to them.

Though with its relatively short runtime, it's shortlived. Blue Streak quickly comes and goes, which is a great thing given its simple narrative and lack of need to overstep with the comedy. It tells its story, and it leaves. Perhaps making you want a little more, but it's enough. Perhaps like this little review.

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