Search - the Bad Cop Chronicles Vol. 2: "Corrupt" on DVD

The Corrupt Lieutenant

Craig Shea | 02/03/2000

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Nine years before his raw, celebrated performance in "Bad Lieutenant", Harvey Keitel gave us another visceral portrayal of a corrupt cop in this Italian police thriller. From Harvey's fringe years in European Cinema, this highly original film pairs him opposite former Sex Pistols frontman Johnny Rotten. Rotten, billed as John Lydon, is an obssessed loner and would-be cop killer conducting personal survellance on the police. He seeks out Lieutenant Fred O'Connor(Keitel), at O'Connor's posh Manhattan apartment that the Lieutenant has purchased with money amassed while on the take, to confess to a series of murders. From that point the two engage in a bizzare and engrossing psychological battle of wills. In "Corrupt", Keitel gives us a portrayal of a deeply conflicted man at odds with himself. Unlike the Bad Lieutenant, who undergoes a combustible emotional breakdown, O'Connor is a man slowly unraveling and Keitel expertly displays every slow painful moment. Along with his other early 80's films "Deathwatch" and "Bad Timing", "Corrupt" proves that Keitel was always giving top notch, emotionally invested, and highly credible performances, even if he wasn't always getting the notice he deserved for them."

Lydon Performance Saves Film

12/27/2000

(2 out of 5 stars)

"The plot of this movie is truly intriguing; the acting by Harvey Keitel is fine; but if it weren't for John Lydon as Leo Smith, this pitiful mish-mosh of a so-called thriller would be unwatchable. The lighting is so dark that it is hard to follow the action. The sound quality is terrible, and the plot twists and turns are so oddly paced that the tension is dissipated before the final scene. The one bright spot is Lydon's fresh and crisp portrayal of the rich psychopathic copkiller. Lydon is a natural actor, and does a great job injecting the right mix of youth and innocence with the aura of sick and dangerous obsessions. If you're a Lydon/Rotten fan, don't miss this; otherwise, forget it."

TV version

Craig Shea | 05/20/2002

(2 out of 5 stars)

"This is the censored version with all the cursing and graphic violence taken out. It may be the only available version which may make it worth something. It does not specify that it is the TV version anywhere so it is a bit of a deception. Pretty good movie if you are curious."