THE ROOKIE

US, 1990, 121 minutes, Colour.
Clint Eastwood, Charlie Sheen, Raul Julia, Sonia Braga, Tom Skerritt, Lara Flynn Boyle.
Directed by Clint Eastwood.

The Rookie is Clint Eastwood's 15th film as director. He is also the star - a variation on the policeman that he has played over the years from Dirty Harry to the tormented man in Tightrope. However, at 60, while he is still full of action, he leaves much of his past action to Charlie Sheen as the rookie. He serves as a kind of father figure to Sheen. Sheen is a serious actor like Eastwood - both of them rarely smile. Raoul Julia and Sonia Braga (who had appeared in Kiss of the Spiderwoman and Moon Over Parador together) are the villains.

The film is full of action, spectacular stunts like chases and crashes on freeways, chases in airports, driving out of an exploding building on the second floor and going into another warehouse across the road.

However, as with so many of Eastwood's films, the mood is dark and much of the action takes place at night. Eastwood gives a complex performance as a Polish policeman in Los Angeles, a man who sees himself as something of a failure but wants to achieve in arresting criminals. Charlie Sheen is a wealthy young man, feeling guilty over the accidental death of his brother, resenting his millionaire father, going on the police force to make his mark. The film portrays his rites of passage and his being moulded in the image of Eastwood.

The film has plenty to entertain action fans. It also embodies Eastwood's beliefs in law and order - and takes a strong stand against criminals and their forfeiting the right to live because of their crimes and cruelty. Not everybody agrees with this kind of heavy and harsh justice.

1. The work of Clint Eastwood, director and star? His police and crime films? The American macho image? Maintaining of law and order?

2. California settings, the city and freeways, airports, warehouses, homes? Police precincts? The musical score?

3. Action, special effects and stunt work? Real/unreal?

4. David and his initial nightmare, at the police board, the death of his brother? The flashbacks? His blaming himself? His motivation? His father commenting on his not forgiving himself? His relationship with Sarah? Studying and giving it up for the police force? His relationship with his parents, his mother's party, her hesitation to kiss her son, interest in the guests? His father and his wealth? His appeal to his father for the $2,000,000 for Nick, talking with his father, pleading with him? Asserting himself? The rookie, Nick's partner, wet behind the ears, the test-drive through the crowded streets, his being able to fix Nick's bike? The flash restaurant and his being known? Punched up in the bar? The threat of the dogs in the car yard? Following Nick, the success of the arrests? Nick not identifying Morales and his going along with it? The casino plan, his fixing the bugging device, shot in the casino? His tracking down people to find Nick, the dead man with the dry-cleaning, his fight and the burning of the bar? The appeal to his father for the money? Riding the bike to save Sarah? Going to the warehouse, reacting to Nick - and the video? The rescue of Nick, the crashed car, the chase, the airport chase and shooting? His confrontation with Liesl? The end - and history repeating itself with his feminine partner? Rites of passage? Man of action? Justice, revenge? The intermixing of the two?

5. Eastwood as Nick, his partner and bond, the death, the initial chase and its spectacular style, his background as racing driver? Relationship with Garcia, getting David as partner? Driving him through the traffic, going to the restaurant, the confrontation with Strom? The cigars, the bikes? His story about himself - and wanting to succeed at least once? Going to the party, David's father trying to buy him? The confrontations with Strom, Morales and his car, the car yard threats? Bugging Strom, the casino plan, his being taken? The warehouse, Liesl and her sadistic sexuality? His escape, being rescued, driving out of the burning building, the chase, the airport, his confrontation with Strom and killing him? His promotion? The father figure - the values that he stood for, the contrast with David's father? His sense of justice? Law and order?

6. Strom, the car-stealing, callous, the shooting of the partner, driving of the vehicle? The getaway? The wealthy restaurant, his associates? Those working for him? Relationship with Liesl - and the lethal dose if either was killed? Anger, losses? His killing of Morales? The house being bugged, the casino and the plan, the failure, taking Nick as hostage, setting up the warehouse, the explosion, the fight and the chase, reaction to Liesl and the video? The chase and his death? Liesl, partnership with Strom, her participating in the thefts? Sadism, sexuality, the encounter with Nick and its being taped? Her violence, shooting of David, his catching her?

7. David's father, wealth, society, the interruption of the board meeting, getting the $2,000,000 - and wanting the bond with his son?

8. The police, their ethos, officials, Garcia, action sequences, shooting?

9. The world of the criminals, stealing the cars, their stooges, the police hold over informers, their reactions, violence and fighting?

10. The atmosphere of Los Angeles - the bar, the toughs, the dogfights?

11. Sarah, relationship with David, the attack by the criminal, her shooting him? David's mother and her interest in society and not him? Heather as his partner? How sympathetic a presentation of women in this man's world?

12. How realistic, unrealistic? Adrenalin-pumping action? Macho image of men and their roles in the police and law and order? Justice and revenge?