Search - Colors on DVD

Christina C. (sdchick92105) from LEMON GROVE, CA
Reviewed on 5/12/2011...

great movie gangsters sean penn is great in this movie

1 of 1 member(s) found this review helpful.

Stylish But It Could Use More Substance

Stephen Kaczmarek | Columbus, Ohio United States | 05/11/2003

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Hailed by critics as one of the more important films of the 80s, "Colors" nonetheless is a fairly straightforward tragedy--there's no other direction for the story to take. Robert Duvall plays a veteran police officer working L.A.'s mean streets; hothead Sean Penn joins his CRASH anti-gang unit, predictably testing the elder partner's patience and reserve as he just tries to keep the peace and make it through that final year to retirement. Both actors bring more depth to their cliched roles than might be expected, playing off each other surprisingly well, even in moments where they are given little more to do than react. But "Colors" offers no real answers to anything. The cops are presented mostly as well-armed zookeepers, while the gang members, blessed with youth and health but not much brains, run violently about, making the story mostly a series of aimless confrontations. Art imitating life? Maybe. But careful audiences might feel they've been bamboozled, despite director Dennis Hopper's rather lofty take on it. With some scenes that are genuinely tragic and gripping--the shooting of an unarmed suspect and the movie's final scene, to name two--and a romantic subplot that deserved more time--Maria Conchita Alonso seems to just get warmed up as a bad girl flirting with the notion of being good--"Colors" seems to have more going for it than it really does. Watch it mainly for the performances and the suggestion of complexity."

THE TURF IS REAL IN "COLORS".

Gregory Saffady | Michigan | 08/10/2004

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Dennis Hopper presented an unseen vision of Americana with EASY RIDER in 1969. It unsettled the masses. He did the same almost 20 years later with COLORS, a frightfully realistic look at urban gang warfare in Los Angeles. Hopper has always been a talent, both in front and behind the camera. COLORS could only be handled by the likes of an independent spirit like Hopper: It's tough, brutal, no watered down studio gloss, no techno effects. Hopper is an actors director and Robert Duvall and Sean Penn are a perfect fit. The oft told cop story of the veteran and the novice gets an injection of new life: the partners don't like each other, they tolerate each other for the sake of survival. Duvall and Penn give strong expected performances and the story rifles along free of expected cliches. Ice-T, in his rapper days (pre LAW & ORDER: SVU) is featured on the soundtrack."

Tight Ass Cop Movie!

Loco-E | Watts, CA | 10/21/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"The movie Colors is much more brutal & realistic than Boyz In Tha Hood, Menace II Society or New Jack City, its kind of like a documentary of hardcore street life in Southern Los Angeles from notorious street gangs such as 18th Street Posse, Florencia 13's, Latin Kings, MS13's, Grape Street Crips & Piru Street Bloods. But the movie is based on what the Cops go through their daily lifes through rough Barrios / Projects of Watts, Lynwood & South Central Los Angeles, CA. Colors also shows the brutal mentallity of how Cops deal with young blacks & latinos of the streets of Los Angeles, CA. Colors is both Dramatic & a Thrilling film, don't care who you are, good flick! Also! Ice-T debuts his hit song Colors on this movie, too!"