Cast: Paul Campbell, Mark Danvers, Carl Bradshaw, Audrey Reid, Winston Bell, Lenford Salmon
Director: Chris Browne
Producer: Carolyn Pfeiffer Bradshaw
Screenplay: Suzanne Fenn, Chris Browne, and Chris Salewicz
Cinematography: Richard Lannaman
Music: Wally Badarou, Sly & Robbie
U.S. Distributor: Palm Pictures
In English with (English) subtitles
On the surface, Third World Cop appears to be yet another Dirty Harry-type motion picture about a tough cop who bends the rules and aggravates his colleagues while carving a swath through the criminal ranks and leaving a trail of dead bodies behind him. However, while Third World Cop's plot doesn't veer too far from this basic formula, director/co-writer Chris Browne injects some energy through the use of an atypical location (shooting took place entirely in Jamaica) and a relentless soundtrack, which is, at times, forceful enough to upstage the actors and the action.
For the most part, Third World Cop transpires in Kingston, the hometown of ace police officer Capone (Paul Campbell, who previously appeared in Dancehall Queen, a feature from the same production team), a "shoot first, ask questions later" kind of cop. Capone has the Dirty Harry cold stare and detached demeanor down perfect, but his one-liners need a little help. For example, instead of spitting out catchphrases like, "Go ahead...make my day" or "Do you feel lucky, punk?", he's stuck with the far less memorable, "We run things, things don't run we." His supervisor, however, describes him with words that any of Harry Callahan's bosses would have been comfortable with: "Your methods of crime fighting may be effective, but they're not always right."
Capone is back in Kingston on a case - he's trying to get to the bottom of a gun-running ring. In short order, he is re-united with all of his old friends, including Ratty (Mark Danvers, also from Dancehall Queen), who is like a younger brother. His ex-sweetheart, Rita (Audrey Reid, star of Dancehall Queen), is still around, and the torch she once carried for him never died out. Capone is introduced to the new gangland boss of the city, an arrogant, joint-smoking man named Wonie (veteran Jamaican thespian Carl Bradshaw). And, for good measure, there's a dirty cop with the nickname of "Not Nice" (Lenford Salmon) who continually interferes with the investigation. It doesn't take much effort for Capone to get to the bottom of the gun-running business and to learn that Ratty is Wonie's right-hand man. That puts the two friends on a collision course.
Third World Cop isn't terribly well made, but it's never boring. The dialogue, which is mediocre at best, is used for little purpose beyond furthering the plot, which is peppered with skillfully choreographed chase sequences and shootouts. Third World Cop moves - it's a kinetic experience, due in large part to the restless camera and a soundtrack that mixes reggae and dance hall music. The movie was made exclusively on digital video (making it the first such endeavor to come out of Jamaica), and it shows. There are times when the images have the artificially crisp appearance of something that was not captured on celluloid. Because of this, Third World Cop does not have an inherently cinematic look.
The film's greatest weakness lies in character development and relationship building. The monumental tragedy at the center of Third World Cop - the one that pits best friend against best friend with a girl in the middle - lacks any kind of emotional punch, because the characters involved never attain any sort of three-dimensionality. Actor Paul Campbell plays Capone as a force of nature, but we never catch a glimpse into his presumably tortured soul. Steely-eyed determination is Capone's overriding characteristic; if he feels regret, which he surely must, it's only briefly indicated. Those looking for uncomplicated cops will appreciate the strength and simplicity of Campbell's portrayal; those seeking depth won't find it here. Like Campbell, the other actors are constrained by the limitations of their characters - Third World Cop isn't big on crafting complex, multi-faceted individuals.
Taking a page from several recent U.K. films, the distributors of Third World Cop have elected to subtitle most of the movie, despite the fact that every word is spoken in English. It's a good move, because the thick Jamaican accents occasionally render the dialogue incomprehensible. Of course, the movie's best scenes - those that involve Capone shooting it out with the bad guys or tracking them to their lair - have no need of subtitles, because no words are spoken.
Third World Cop premiered at the 1999 Toronto International Film Festival, then opened in Jamaica a month later. The movie was a huge hit in its home country, becoming the highest grossing film of all time and luring more than 10% of the adult population into theaters during the course of its four-month run. Now, with its arrival on U.S. screens, Third World Cop faces a greater challenge. After all, despite its modern-day look and feel, this movie is still an entry in a genre that many consider outdated (after all, Dirty Harry hasn't been a cinematic force for more than a decade), and it's a close call whether the high voltage style overcomes the plot's inherent staleness.
© 2000 James Berardinelli