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Narc

Joe Carnahan's "Narc" proves that you can teach an old dog new tricks, even one as old as the crime thriller. The film begins as a routine police procedural, employing all the usual tactics, setups, and character traits that we've seen in tens of hundreds of movies before it. But unlike some directors, who try to spice the formula up with hyper-stylized action and violence ("Ballistic: Ecks Vs. Sever" comes to mind), Carnahan does something different, turning the routine into the fresh and inviting, the overused and exhausted into something energetic and full of excitement. ***

The story centers around the death of a Detroit police officer, Michael Calvess, an undercover narc whose murder investigation has come to a standstill due to lack of evidence or possible suspects. With no one else to turn to, the department turns to former narcotics officer Nick Tellis, who left his position after a drug bust resulted in the death of an unborn infant child. ***

Tellis is played by Jason Patric, whose previous experience in roles such as this give him the upper hand in playing the character. He's got quite a bit to draw on from his performance in the 1991 movie "Rush," in which he played an undercover narc whose belief that he cannot become an addict blinds him to the fact that he has already crossed the line. With Tellis, Patric forms the character into an extension of that previous role: it's as if he's been given the chance to show us what Jim Raynor would be doing today, had he lived through his experiences then. ***

Tellis's situation, although similar in a broader range of thinking, is far different in technical terms. He's not so much afflicted by his use of drugs as he is from personal demons: he is constantly haunted by the accidental death of that unborn child, and we get the notion that in certain instances, he feels unworthy of the wife and child he himself possesses. When approached about the idea of coming back to the force as a regular detective, he is at first hesitant, but realizes that the case as it stands is in need of some serious work. ***

He finds this possibility in Detective Henry Oak, a close friend of the deceased cop who has a knack for losing his short temper in extreme situations. He's played by Ray Liotta, who brings a blistering energy to the role that is brooding and unpredictable. In a way, Oak is much like Denzel Washington's own corrupt cop from 2001's "Training Day:" Oak believes in the law, but has his own set of rules when dispensing it. At one point, during a stake-out with Tellis, he tells his partner, "The job has nothing to do with procedure, and everything to do with right and wrong." He wants to punish the killers for their crime, showing no hesitation in his remarks; in effect, he becomes the life force of much of the picture. ***

As a stylistic rush, "Narc" is never short on gritty visual excess. The film takes on the appearance of an hallucinatory nightmare, brandished with moments of high-speed chases on foot, suspenseful moments of gunplay between the hunters and the hunted, and a cold, steely look that enhances the menacing feel of the underlying secrets the story keeps hidden. Carnahan's screenplay moves with a fluid energy that begins slowly, and quickly speeds up like a discharged bullet. His various plot twists come at unexpected intervals, and even as the different story elements remind us of familiar movies with the same type of turnout, he never fails to bring heat and intensity to the proceedings. His writing is smart and defiant in the face of not being completely fresh, and his direction is apt and fueled by a genuine drive to make "Narc" something credible and entertaining rather than routine and lifeless. There aren't too many filmmakers like that around these days.

With a great deal of washed-out colors and gritty images, "Narc" is a movie whose DVD transfer faithfully recreates the theatrical presentation. Color saturation works nicely with the context of given scenes, while fleshtones, when seen in normal lighting, are accurate and warm. Contrast is very good here, too, with only some slight signs of noise apparent in a few scenes; shadow detail is exceptionally well-rendered, and blacks are rock-solid throughout. Edges are sharp with a major lack of halos, and the presence of film grain is intentional, and should not be considered a flaw. An explosive transfer! ***

The sound is mastered in Dolby Digital 5.1, and through a well-recorded score that can reach aggressive levels, it makes the most of the increasing intensity of the film. Surround usage is very clean and focused, both in terms of music and atmospheric effects, while the balance between the high and low ends is commendable, if not always audible in scenes where natural-sounding dialogue is the only presence. All-in-all, not a bad presentation for what it is. --

"Narc" seemed to appear and disappear with very little attention earlier this year at the box office, but Paramount is giving it a rather spiffy DVD treatment that fans like myself will surely find pleasing. ***

Following the commentary we have a collection of featurettes, three of which whose names pretty much sum up their content. In "Making the Deal," we hear from Carnahan concerning his journey to get the film made, and his keeping Ray Liotta in mind for that specific character. We also hear from Liotta and Jason Patric, both of whom comment on one another's acting skills as well as their appreciation for the material. In "Shooting Up," we see the bonds formed by the cast and crew as they formed one dominant force to make the movie become a reality. Carnahan's comments about budget problems and money worries are especially interesting, as the production came to a halt on more than one occasion. "The Visual Trip" dives into the look of the movie, while "The Friedkin Connection" features an interview with director William Friedkin, whose "French Connection" bears a resemblance to this movie. The disc closes out with a theatrical trailer.