Long before S.W.A.T. returned to the airwaves, it made a short detour into movie theaters. Colin Farrell and Samuel L. Jackson starred in a big-screen adaptation of the classic TV series back in 2003. Although it largely disappeared into the evidence locker, it’s resurfaced on free streamer Tubi, where it’s become a hit, recently making it to #4 on the charts.
S.W.A.T. began life as an Aaron Spelling-produced TV series; it premiered in 1975, a few years after the LAPD first established their real-life Special Weapons And Tactics unit. Despite its popularity, it was canceled after two seasons as violence on TV became more controversial. Plans for a big-screen version first surfaced in 1997, and at various points Renny Harlin, Oliver Stone, and Zack Snyder were attached to direct. The film was ultimately directed by actor Clark Johnson (Homicide: Life on the Street, The Wire), in his feature directorial debut; the script was penned by David Ayer (Training Day) and David McKenna (American History X).
What Is ‘S.W.A.T.’ About?
Farrell stars as Jim Street; he and partner Brian Gamble (Jeremy Renner) were kicked off the S.W.A.T. team when Gamble’s recklessness resulted in a hostage taking serious injuries. Busted down to inventory duty, Street was given a second chance when LAPD veteran Daniel “Hondo” Harrelson (Jackson) was assigned to assemble a new S.W.A.T. team; Street was his first recruit, alongside a coterie of misfits played by Michelle Rodriguez, LL Cool J, Josh Charles, and Brian Van Holt. The new team is soon put to the test when French drug lord and international fugitive Alex Montel (Olivier Martinez) gets busted by the LAPD; they’re assigned to safely get him into federal custody, even as Montel publicly offers $100 million to anyone who can help him escape. They’ll have to run a gauntlet of the deadliest killers in town to fulfill their mission…including not only the resentful Gamble, but a traitor in their own ranks.
S.W.A.T. grossed $207 million USD on a $70 million budget in the summer of 2003, and received mixed reviews from critics, garnering a 48% rotten rating on Rotten Tomatoes. It was followed up with two direct-to-video sequels, none of which featured the movie’s cast members; 2011’s S.W.A.T.: Firefight starred Robert Patrick and Giancarlo Esposito, while 2017’s S.W.A.T.: Under Siege featured Adrianne Palicki and Michael Jai White. The franchise returned to TV in 2017, with Shemar Moore starring as Hondo; that series was canceled after eight seasons on CBS, but Moore is set to return in the new spin-off S.W.A.T.: Exiles later this year.
S.W.A.T. is now streaming for free on Tubi. Stay tuned to Collider for future updates.
Release Date
August 8, 2003
Runtime
117 Minutes
Director
Clark Johnson
