Entertainment Weekly
"...The new-millennium S.W.A.T. provides entertainment quite apart from the diversion of flashy action sequences..." 08/15/2003 p.50-1Los Angeles Times
"[The] cast -- including Farrell, Jackson, LL Cool J, Olivier Martinez and Michelle Rodriguez -- seems to be enjoying itself." 01/01/2004 p.C49 Chicago Sun-Times
"[T]his one has a plot and characters, dialogue and plausibility, and physical feats that an actual cop might really almost be able to perform." 12/30/2004 p.37 Total Film
"[A]ction-packed." 01/01/2004 p.30 Uncut
"Johnson has an impeccable cop show pedigree..." 01/01/2004 p.136 ReelViews 6 of 10
S.W.A.T. bears less of a resemblance to the 1975 TV series from which it derives its title (and the name of its principal characters) than it does to every other 2003 action film. With its rapid cuts (sometimes around one-hundred per minute) and emphasis upon stylized action over intelligent storytelling, S.W.A.T. fits in nicely with every other teen-oriented summer blockbuster packing in the crowds at the local multiplex...The "S.W.A.T." TV series was a police show. The movie is a high-octane, brain-dead action picture that happens to feature cops as the characters. Viewed from a certain perspective, S.W.A.T. can be seen as having been cleverly constructed. The first hour uses poor pacing, inane dialogue, and failed character development to deaden the higher centers of the brain. That way, the second half of the movie, which really doesn't make much sense and is riddled with plot holes, can succeed on a purely adrenaline-fueled basis. Yes, during the second half, S.W.A.T. generates some momentum and sustains a moderate level of tension - even if it's all accomplished by smoke and mirrors...Of the actors, only Michelle Rodriguez (Girlfight) shows a little fire. LL Cool J, Brian Van Holt, and Josh Charles seem to be working with an internal "mute" button stuck in the "on" position...S.W.A.T. likely won't please fans of the original TV series, but the movie hasn't been made for them. It will probably satisfy its target audience, although, as with most disposable entertainment of this sort, all it offers is a brief distraction from the rigors of real-life, with no lingering post-credits buzz. S.W.A.T. will be forgotten by the next morning. To me, that sort of superficial, ephemeral diversion hardly seems worth the price of admission - but then I'm not the one paying. - James Berardinelli
Variety 5 of 10
In an era of hyper-powered action spectacles, "S.W.A.T." arrives looking stodgy, without exciting heroes or villains, or, especially, the kinetic cinema to make it memorable. Nonetheless, this widescreen adaptation of the mid-1970s TV series is smart to be flagrantly unfaithful to the short-lived show...In contrast to the borderline insanity of danger and extreme action arranged by Michael Bay in "Bad Boys 2," tyro director Clark Johnson strives for realistic detail and action. Unfortunately, such adherence to technical purity proves to be a weakness for the movie...Johnson, who has superbly parlayed his stint as a Baltimore cop in "Homicide: Life on the Streets" into a terrific small screen directing career, and has shown a knack for depicting finely drawn characters in high-pressure situations, is too often at the mercy of a generally hackneyed script...Jackson and Farrell remain consummate pros throughout, but clearly have no new ideas for playing cops. Perhaps because of her character's novelty, Rodriguez comes off as more relaxed than in some of her previous, post-"Girlfight" work, and Renner (recently stunning in "Dahmer") does his part to keep things as interesting as possible...As the umpteenth cop thriller staged in L.A.'s streets, pic doesn't create a captivating new angle as, for example, Michael Mann did in "Heat," or to a lesser degree, Antwone Fuqua did in "Training Day"...A talented production crew, including lenser Gabriel Beristain, editor Michael Tronick and composer Elliot Goldenthal, has done better work elsewhere. The vast song selection is more inspired, with well-chosen tracks from the Rolling Stones, Jimi Hendrix, Apollo Four Forty and even an end-credit tune titled "Samuel Jackson." - Robert Koehler
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