With a start that left little to be desired, the project as a whole was fantastic. Copshop is a violent, gory, hilarious, action flick.
Even though names like Gerard Butler and Frank Grillo dominated marketing for the film, the real hero of the project is Alexis Louder, the film’s protagonist. In a remote area of Nevada, a police station quickly comes under siege as a series of crooked crops intersect with a handful of contract killers on a mission. Butler plays a hitman named Bob Viddick and Grillo plays a bad guy turned rat named Teddy Murretto. Louder plays Valerie Young, a young policewoman that uses a combination of prior training and pure instinct to navigate through the chaos.
The beginning, middle, and end location is the police station. The station eventually comes under siege and all hell breaks loose. There’s a heaping load of suspense because nobody knows who can be trusted. Teddy gets arrested by Valerie and while not buddies, come to communicate on a first-name basis, but does that mean she can trust him?
Valerie plays mediator, sheriff, medic, and gun-slinger in this crazy night at the station. The film gives serious Tarantino vibes but it’s original and has more action than cussing and racial expletives that you’d get with Q.
Grillo and Butler are excellent as their characters, especially in each respective futile attempt to sway Valerie to their side. Time is of the essence, and neither can afford to waste it. Teddy needs to find his family and get them to safety before they end up collateral damage for his greed, and Bob needs to off Teddy because the massive bounty on his head will attract other killers. One example is a truly sick but extremely funny Anthony Lamb (Toby Huss), a psychopath with more weapons than common sense whose presence fills a missing piece to the story.
A few stabbings and a makeshift surgery shouldn’t keep you from appreciating this great project, but I will say if you’re sensitive to seeing blood or stabbings, there will be a handful of scenes where you’ll need to turn away. Some of those scenes were exaggerated unnecessarily, but it’s not enough to ruin the experience.
Copshop is well-done and will serve as a breakout film for actress Alexis Louder. I give it a 9 out of 10. I was grossed out, left in suspense, and thoroughly entertained. Again, even though big names like Grillo and Butler are in it, the real star is Alexis Louder. Copshop is now in theaters and worth the trip.
-Jon J.