VividSimon
Simply Perfect
Stometer
Save your money for something good and enjoyable
Anoushka Slater
While it doesn't offer any answers, it both thrills and makes you think.
efrancis-15956
Charles Burnett sculpts the movie with star protagonist JJ or John Johnson played by Michael Boatman is a young African American Cop who is excited and eager to be a police officer. He soon realizes that being a police officer is not what he expected as he soon realizes the wrong and dishonest dealings going on with in the Los Angeles Sheriff's Department. Our young Valen JJ teams up with another minority, young female officer Deborah Fields (Lori Petty) to right the wrongs and restore justice as any honest, moralistic young adult would do. These young officers' morals are what drives the plot and leads their actions to fulfill justice in their hypocritical department.JJ's suspicions began when he is involved with the unlawful arrest of Teddy Woods (played by Hollywood Star Ice Cube). He is convincingly framed as a murder, so much that JJ believes this until other suspicious behaviors leads him to the truth. Teddy Woods's case goes to court and becomes the center of attention to the audience via Deputy Johnson's role in arresting Mr. Woods, to reveal the injustices of the department. Throughout the judicial fiasco JJ and Deborah are harassed by other officers about being a minority in the white male department. If that isn't enough JJ must deal with a frustrated relationship with his girlfriend (you will have to watch and see for yourself if their romance endures).Young and Zealous JJ deals with more than just romantic issues and physical harassment. He develops an internal struggle with his morals over if it is more important to bring forth justice at whatever cost or bring justice through the law and in accordance with its procedures. This is strategically shown through JJ's interaction with friends and family outside of work. Johnson views many of his colleagues as men seeking to put the bad guys behind bars and willing to bend the rules in order to do so, a white lie as to why you pulled someone over if it means you are putting a bad guy behind bars.Many viewers of the film will undoubtedly connect this film's message with the Black Lives matter campaign and other civil rights protests. This aspect of the movie connects generations of Americans in three generations. A grandparent may connect to it from the civil rights movement in the 1960's, their child may relate to the movie in the time that it was released (1994) along with the Watts Riots, and finally the potential grandchildren and my fellow peers view the movie as a prophecy of the Black Lives matter campaign. While the ending may have been to potential of lack of money (as often is the case in independent films), this eight-million-dollar film does a great job of wrapping the viewer into the film to see a struggle that still is not resolved in our society despite the horrible acting that "hurts like getting hit with a bat". Yes, that is an actual line from the movie that comes during one of the worst scenes of acting I have ever seen. However, director Charles Burnett shows us hope through JJ.
Robert W. Anderson
I'm surprised this wasn't a made for TV film! It has the look of a TV production, it was most likely video taped. The writing and direction is not up to movie standards. While they do have some veteran actors; they performances were tainted by poor writing. The writer decided that rather then rely on well written story with just a few of the points he wanted to make; he decided to throw every racism cliché into this one. And while the story is just plain silly; the poor direction leads to some pretty poor performances. I'm sure many of the actors in this film don't list this as one they are proud of. We all know that there are abuses by law enforcement; but this writer/director is beating us over the head with this script. If your looking for a well written, well acted story that make you feel like you got your monies worth; avoid this film like the plague. Written at about a 4th grade level.
Vaslo77
Glass Shield is an intriguing film, starring Michael Boatman, Ice-T, Bernie Casey, and Lori Petty. The film centers around the corruption of the Ingomar Station around LA.Its one of those films you need to watch several times to understand all of the details. You know, one where there are 900 names thrown around and they expect you to remember all of them even when the names don't depict a character in the film.The comment about this being a leftist movie is definitely true: Anyone black, female, supportive of civil rights, adoptive of children outside your race, etc is good. Anyone white and male in this film is evil (minus the one cop that works in the holding cell).The film is definitely worth watching. It is very suspenseful, and is a very intriguing story. Just be open minded that the writer, or at least the casting director, is probably one of those people who blames white males for everything (crime, racism, etc) without checking the violent crime statistics first.
Michael O'Keefe
Try to fit in or decide to do the right thing? Ambition is one of the things that stands in the way of J.J. Johnson(Michael Boatman)...the other is that he is a rookie state trooper with the LA Sheriff's Department and the first black officer at his first assigned station. Who is he teamed with? The station's only female deputy Deb Fields(Lori Petty). This movie progresses with nonstop suspense and explosive decisions to be made. Johnson and Fields uncover mass corruption when they discover that a well known criminal(Ice Cube)has been framed and jailed for a vicious murder. Do they break the unwritten code of silence or do the right thing? Well...what makes for a better movie? This gritty police yarn is filled with obligatory violence and an all-star cast of actors like: Richard Anderson, M. Emmet Walsh, Michael Ironside, Bernie Casey and Elliott Gould. I was really impressed with Boatman and Ice Cube. On the other hand I have never been or will be a fan of Petty. Overall the truth proves to be pretty damn powerful.
