在视听创作上,影片避免戏剧化倾向。数字技术让历史影像重获新生,全彩上色丰富画面细节,画面技术拓展表现手法。技术运用保持低调,整体色彩偏向质朴。整体表现注重思想内涵。色彩选择体现审慎考量,声音创作追求自然真实。HavingwitnessedhisjunkiefatherkilledRussellStevensgrowsuptobecomeapolicemanandmakeadifference.WhenheisofferedanundercoverjobbyGeraldCarverheacceptsandbeginstobuildarelationshipwithDavidJasoninordertogettothemaindealers.Howeverasheisforcedtodealdrugsandkilltokeephiscoverhefindsthelinesbetweencopandcriminalbeinglost–isheacoppretendingtobeadealeroradealerpretendingtobeacop Larry(ashewasthen)Fishburne'sfirstleadrolewasatypicallydarkvehicle.Thestoryistheusualoneofcoplosinghimselfwhenundercover,howeveritmanagestobemorethanthatformostofthetime.Co-writtenbyTolkin,whowroteThePlayer,thisnaturallyhasanicecynicaledgetoitwhenitlooksattheUS'shypocriticalapproachtodrugcontrolandthepoliticallinksbetweenthestreethustlersandthepoliticalhighrollerswhocourtrespectability.Thestorydoeseventuallysettleintoatraditionalsettingbuteventhenitworkswellasathriller. Themulti-talentedBillDukedirectswellwithagrittyfeelandafewnicetouches.Howeverseveralthingsareabitiffy.FormostofthefilmFishburne'snarrationvoiceoverisabitlikeacrossbetweenApocalypseNowandBladeRunner–itcomesacrossasalittletoodarkandheavyandalsoexplainsthingslikewecan'tfigureitoutourselves.Howeveronceyougetintothefilmit'snotasbigadeal.Mymainproblemlieswiththecharacters. Fishburneisexcellent,arealmodelofunderlyingangerandviolence,GoldblumisgoodbutperhapsalittleOTTontheyuppieviolencething,butthere'sgoodsupportfromSmithandSpinCity'sbeautiful(andoftenunderused–butnothere)VictoriaDillard.Howeverthetwomainwhitecharacters(GoldblumandSmith)arebothsmearedwithracistinsinuations–Smithappearstoinsulthisblackofficersanddoesn'tcareaboutthejunkies,whileGoldblumisfascinatedaboutallthingsblackandtalksaboutthemaswildbeautifulbeastsandloveshavingsexwithblack'.Thesethingsaren'tamajorproblem,butwithbasicallyonlytwowhitecharactersinit,it'salittleworryingthatbotharegiventhatedge. Howevertheseareminorcomplaintsthatgetlostwithagoodthriller.FishburneexcelsandDukedeliversastorythatisagoodthrillerbutalsohasajaded,subversiveedge.