AllMovie

S.W.A.T. adheres closely to the conventions of police-action films. That helps the film during its first half. The filmmakers understand what the characters have to do and so they are relaxed enough to give the cops flashes of real personality. Colin Farrell and Michelle Rodriguez have some genuine chemistry and they easily earn the audience's goodwill; Samuel L. Jackson is his usual engaging self; and Josh Charles registers with very little screen time. Sadly, when the admittedly brilliant high-concept second half of the movie begins, the filmmakers shift focus entirely onto the action sequences at the expense of the characters. That might have been enough if director Clark Johnson had a taste for action sequences, but he seems more comfortable with his characters conversing in a bar than he does when they beat each other up. Only Oscar-winning composer Elliot Goldenthal shows creativity and originality through the entire film with his amusing musical score that finds numerous humorous ways to recycle the theme song from the television show that inspired this just slightly better-than-average action film.