Colors (1988) User Reviews

A surprisingly very good and very underrated movie.

[Cinemaniac1984 · 8/10 · 1 August 2016]

Colors is a movie that shines brightly with quality actors Sean Penn and Robert Duvall headlining the movie and Dennis Hopper sitting in the director's chair for the first time since Easy Rider (1969). The film could have easily been dismissed as a routine action movie but the end result is a gritty crime drama that highlights a major problem across the USA.

Colors focuses on the Los Angeles Police Department's CRASH Division (Community Resources Against Street Hoodlums) combating the gang wars that could explode across Los Angeles at any moment. Amongst the CRASH officers are the 19 year veteran Officer Bob Hodges (Robert Duvall, The Godfather) who treats all the gang members hard but fair yet approaches every problem with a sense of diplomacy. Hodges is partnered with Officer Danny McGavin (Sean Penn, Fast Times at Ridgemont High) a young police officer who is highly capable but has a very short fuse and proves to be his own worst enemy with his aggressive approach to police work, much to the chagrin to Hodges. Hodges and McGavin must work together to prevent an all out war on the streets of Los Angels between the Bloods and the Crips.

Sean Penn made his mark with Fast Times at Ridgemont High (1982) and since then has gone from strength to strength with movies such as Bad Boys (1983), The Falcon and the Snowman (1985) and At Close Range (1986) which was met with acclaim from critics and audiences alike. Improbably cast as an LAPD officer, Sean Penn turns in an excellent performance as Danny McGavin which sees him continue to come of age. Ironically, Sean Penn found himself on the wrong side of the law during the filming of Colors when he was jailed for punching an extra who photographed him and Robert Duvall without his permission.

The ever reliable Robert Duvall who never puts a foot wrong no matter what role he plays or what movie he appears in. Duvall does a fine job as veteran officer Bob Hodges who strives to keep the peace on the streets of Los Angeles as well as keeping his young hotheaded partner in line.

María Conchita Alonso (The Running Man), Don Cheadle (Traffic), Damon Wayans (The Last Boy Scout), and Glenn Plummer (Speed) also appear in small but effective roles in Colors and support Sean Penn and Robert Duvall very well.

The late Dennis Hopper was a surprise choice as director given that in his stellar career (Apocalypse Now, Blue Velvet, Speed) he has only directed a handful of movies with Easy Rider (1969) being his only successful movie as a director. Here in Colors he has done a quality job bringing the movie to the big screen.

Colors was a surprisingly very good movie that is sorely underrated. Thankfully critics did not dismiss this as rubbish and gave the movie credit where it was due. It was also boosted by the star power of Sean Penn and Robert Duvall under the direction of Dennis Hopper. It is gritty and uncompromising, but Colors shines.

8/10.

Unflinching

[jldmp1 · 8/10 · 13 April 2006]

My generation remembers these times...This is before Rodney King and the riots, before the relentless moralizing of Spike Lee and John Singleton. Back then, urban gang warfare was comfortably distant. This is before cell phones, bling, rims, before the thug life became a marketable commodity.

Colors is distinctive for Hopper's tight focus, his honest approach and complete lack of sentimentality. The world depicted here is horizontal, and filmed horizontally; it is ugly and unironic, and in a way egalitarian; there are NO courts or lawyers, every introduction of ethics is literally shot down.

It's hard to imagine anything being made like this in today's multiculti/PC world, any such attempt would immediately provoke shrieking and clutching of skirts at the sight of 'racism'.

This paradigm of movie-making didn't survive, it disappeared like Duvall's soul in that departing helicopter shot. Unfortunately, the trend went the way of "Boyz n the Hood".

An Important Piece of American History

[gavin6942 · 7/10 · 19 February 2017]

An experienced cop (Robert Duvall) and his rookie partner (Sean Penn) patrol the streets of East Los Angeles while trying to keep the gang violence under control.

Looking back now (2017), this film seems so normal, something that could be included in a long list of L.A. gang movies, with the Crips and Bloods fighting it out for turf. We all know about "gangsta rap" and Compton and South Central and all of that. But then you look at the date this film was released -- 1988 -- and you see that all these things we take for granted had never been explored in any detail before. (Merriam-Webster, for example, does not even think the term "gangsta rap" was invented until 1989, even if Schoolly D and Ice-T were already around.)

Although it is probably not true that "Colors" is the first film about gang violence in Los Angeles, it was probably the most influential at the time it came out. Allegedly, some reviews found it even hard to believe that gangs existed in L.A. -- that is just how novel the premise was. Director Dennis Hopper does an excellent job in laying out what these neighborhoods are like and really tackles the crack epidemic head on.

The original script by Richard DiLello (best known as a Beatles historian) actually took place in Chicago (the traditional gang stronghold) and was more about drug dealing than individual gang members. Hopper ordered changes, so Michael Schiffer was hired and the setting was changed to Los Angeles with the focus of the story becoming more about the day-to-day world of gang members. This switch may be the single best decision Hopper made while developing and shooting the film.

What makes the film valuable today, besides its historic aspect, is seeing just how great the casting was, too. Don Cheadle before he was widely known. Tony Todd before "Candyman". Damon Wayans before his entire family became big stars. Even a young Mario Lopez shows up. The idea of having a white kid (Courtney Gains) in a Latino gang seems strange, but as Gains himself says, that was written into the script and he just happened to be lucky enough to get the part.

Thanks to Shout! Factory and their Shout Select label, we now have the full, uncut film on Blu-ray, looking great and sounding fantastic. The Herbie Hancock score is dynamite, to say the least. Special features are a little bit slim, unfortunately -- no commentary and not a single actor interview -- but we do have a look back at both the writing process and the gang situation in 1980s Los Angeles.

Great Acting, Great Directing

[pdavis68 · 25 June 2001]

Until I checked this out on IMDB, I had no idea that Dennis Hopper was the director. Wow, that says a lot about his directing ability.

In a void, this movie might not be great. Someone from the UK complained about it. I'm not from Compton but, this movie rates up there with the other true-to-lifers like Boyz in the Hood, and other gang related "classics" (as they deserve to be called).

This is a great movie with great acting and a great plotline. It's a pretty realistic view (again, I'm not a gang banger, so maybe my view is skewed) of the gang life in L.A. And it was the first to really portray it... I'm still a big fan of Boyz in the Hood (not for excitement, but for a good story about a tough life). But this was the first (as I recall) and Hopper deserves a great deal of credit for that. Penn and Duvall are fantastic actors and both come through in a big way in this movie.

My personal opinion: This movie has been, by far, underrated...

Leans too heavily on action and police movie clichés, but generally effective.

[TOMASBBloodhound · 7/10 · 4 November 2009]

It was about 1988 when people in my suburban world first became aware of the inner city war between Bloods, Crips, and many of the fringe groups. This film, along with the rise of "gangster rap" were probably my first exposure to this culture. And its safe to say that if anything, the problem has only gotten worse in the past two decades. Gangs are still killing each other, and they seldom need a reason to do so.

Colors is a fairly daring film directed by Dennis Hopper. The story wishes to point out the plight of inner-city youths caught up in gangs as well as the futility of law enforcement in dealing with them. Robert Duvall and Sean Penn play basically the timeless "good cop/bad cop" duo out to learn what they can on the street and help prevent as much gang crime as possible. The film starts out strongly detailing the differences in their respective approaches to the job. Both men are a joy to watch, and continue to be so to this day. There are few American actors as talented as either man. However, as the story progresses, these two main characters seem to get kind of lost in the shuffle, and the story becomes more about the gang members. They are mostly interesting people, but you're going to find yourself wishing for more of the two leads.

The film is packed with shootouts and car chases.... perhaps a few too many. A lot of thought went into stunt work, fight scenes, and explosions. Most are not needed. Had Colors stayed more of a thoughtful drama instead of an action pic, it would have had a much bigger impact. The Los Angeles we see here is well filmed, and seems off limits to those who don't live there. This was certainly the intention. There are some wonderful little details that project the local flare. In one scene for example, while Penn and Duvall are questioning a group of Hispanic suspects in the Barrio, you can hear a rooster crowing just off screen. The cast is teeming with soon-to-be famous folks like Damon Wayans, Don Cheadle, Glen Plummer and many others. Look out for a young Mario Lopez as a young gang member. But what on earth was Malakai from Children of the Corn doing in the Barrio???? 7 of 10 stars.

The Hound.

A Beauty Pageant Winner and the Rico Suave Guy as Gang Members

[quitwastingmytime · 6/10 · 11 June 2021]

Yes, the film really does feature them. Maria Alonso was Miss Venezuela, but this film tries to pass the 32 year old off as a teenage Mexican gang member.

It also has Gerardo, the "Rico Suave" one hit wonder. He was a 23 year old at the time Ecuadorian, again supposed to be a Mexican teen in a gang. Apparently to both Hollywood and the ones viewing their films, Latinos are interchangeable. Neither have or try for believable Mexican accents.

The two main veteran actors, Penn and Duval, are out of their depth. Penn overacts, and Duval is left spouting TV cop show cliches.

Even the great Don Cheadle and comedian Damon Wayans are forced left playing caricatures.

The film is at its best when trying to give a glimpse into gang lives. It was also brave in showing LA cops as often brutal, indifferent, or paranoid.

It doesn't always work. It was crass, exploitative, and sometimes stereotypical. Some of the gang members are dehumanized as monsters, and two scenes played raids on gang member's homes for cheap laughs.

The best thing that can be said about it is that it inspired John Singleton to make Boyz in the Hood, to counter all the falsehoods and show the people in the poor neighborhoods as actual people.

This movie expose the true colors of LA Gang Warfare and the Cops that fought to stop it, because of that, it was an alright movie.

[ironhorse_iv · 6/10 · 2 May 2016]

The film was the first directorial work by actor Dennis Hopper in 18 years. Like 1969's 'Easy Rider', this film was notable for its real life write the plot elements by screenwriters Michael Schiffer & Richard Di Lello. However, do to that standard of writing. It's somewhat slow in paced. There are tons of pointless boring filler, in this film. The violence action in this film is also very random, just as much as it's nudity. It really comes out of nowhere, and has little bearing to the main plot. While, most of the action scenes, are somewhat realistic in tone, however, there was at least, one scene at the beach front that really went over the top. It felt like, I was watching a different movie with its 'Lethal Weapon' style bike chase. Because of that, I couldn't say, this movie was a great film. It was too uneven. Still, the film was fine for the most part. Made in the era, before the 1992 South Central riots & many years before 2000 Rampart scandal destroy the CRASH (Community Resources Against Street Hoodlums) special operations unit of the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD). The film tells the story of two CRASH cops, experienced season veteran, Officer Bob Hodges (Robert Duvall) and rookie partner, and hot-head, Officer Danny McGavin (Sean Penn) patrolling the streets of East Los Angeles, trying hard to keep the gang violence between the Bloods, the Crips, and the Hispanic street gangs under control. Without spoiling the American police procedural action crime film, too much, this movie was infamous for its highly dangerous production, as film producer Robert H. Solo hired real gang members as guardians as well as actors. Two of them were shot during filming of this film. If that wasn't enough, according to the filmmakers, shortly after the church shooting scene wrapped, a church service a short distance away actually was disrupted by gang gunfire. Things got worse for the production, as reportedly, Sean Penn was arrested on 2nd April 1987 and spent close to a month (33 days) in jail for assault after hitting an extra on the set of this film who was taking snapshots of Penn without his permission. It also didn't help that he was going through a nasty public divorce with singer/actor Madonna, where the newspapers stated allegations of domestic abuse. Despite what happen behind closed doors and his private life, Sean Penn did pretty well in this role. Although, it wasn't much of a stretch, since Penn was a total angry wild-man at this time. Robert Duvall is also alright, but his role wasn't as superb to me, as other critics saw it. I just seen it, as average at best. However, he does fully earns the hallowed term "actor's actor." Anyways, both of the main actors work well with each other, even if the whole 'bull and cows' (good cop/bad cop) gimmick seem to run them, as very unrealistic cops at the time. The supporting cast is just meh. Nothing much. It kinda sucks that they got Don Cheadle in this film, and barely used him. All, he does, is look menacing to the camera, and hardly speaks. He totally got wasted in his limited role as arch-gang leader, Rocket. I can also do, without Damon Wayans as Rocket's gang-member, T-Bone. All the comedy scenes with him, felt a little bit out of place like Courtney Gains's character, Whitey. If anybody, really shine in this film, it had to be Trinidad Silva as 21th Street gang leader, Leo 'Frog' Lopez. He was amazing as the informer. He really look like he belong in a real-life gang. It's too bad, that the actor died in 1988 in a car accident involving a collision with a drunken driver in Whittier, California, after filming this movie. I really hope for more from him. One thing that really made this film, very interesting is the odd mixer of gangsta rap music with that of classic 1960s country hits. It's weird, hearing Jaynett's 'Sally Go Around the Roses' & Willie Nelson 'Bloody Mary Morning' with the intense rap songs of Ice T's 'Colors' and Big Daddy Kane 'Raw'. It was so jarring to me. I guess, it's supposed to represented the large different between those, living in the white community and those living in the black projects of Los Angeles County in Color. However, the movie's music also shows the weird unionize of multiply ethnicities under the banner of those who choose to live, under the colors of law enforcement and those who choose to wear the colors of the street gangs. No matter what, the music for this film, kinda works for its plot; just as much as the location of LA, works for the soundtrack. You really do get the sense of gang-life and how it was like to be in the CRASH force. Nevertheless, I would love to see, how the original script that took place in Chicago and was more about drug dealing than gang members. It's just seems, more interesting. In addition to that, there is a version of the film that has an extended ending that is somewhat not checking out. Just don't watch that version, if you haven't saw the film, yet. Watch the theatrical cut. The new scenes are not that satisfying. Overall: If you love movies like 2012's 'End of Watch' or 2001's 'Training Day', you will probably love this movie. While, it's not the best cop movie out there. This somewhat excellent, powerful and gripping crime drama is still worth checking out.

The LA Gang Wars And The Cops Who Respond

[bkoganbing · 7/10 · 21 November 2008]

After viewing Colors you have got to wonder about what our Founding Fathers had in mind when that Second Bill of Rights was passed to amend the Constitution. I don't think this is what they had in mind concerning the right to bear arms.

Colors is a film about gang wars in Los Angeles and it's seen through the eyes of two police officers on the gang task force. Older officer Robert Duvall and his young new partner Sean Penn. Penn's a young man in a big hurry looking to make an impression. Duvall is just trying to live through the day and make retirement.

Penn gets quite a lesson in police work and in life from Duvall and from his days on the gang task force. His involvement with Maria Conchita Alonso who's seeing it from both sides helps a bit too for Sean, though not how he'd have liked it.

Don Cheadle and Trinidad Silva lead a good supporting cast of gang bangers. If you don't recognize him because he hasn't bulked up yet, see Mario Lopez in a small role as a kid who Sean Penn sprays with a can of spray paint to give him an object lesson on the evils of tagging.

Duvall and Penn do a fine job each. I doubt this film is on the National Rifle Association recommended list.

Crime action

[sickofenjoyingmyself · 6/10 · 26 November 2016]

In honesty I had expected better than what was delivered in Colors. Something about the movie felt misplaced. The chemistry between Sean Penn and Robert Duvall did't seem quite right. The music didn't seem to fit either. This doesn't mean its a bad movie. Far from it. I thought that it was solid. It seems more dated than it is but there are some extremely good scenes and some great moments of acting from extremely accomplished actors - unfortunately it seems like those moments are individual ones which result in a lack of on screen chemistry. A few misplaced moments also seem to allow the movie to lose its rhythm and coherence. This movie is watchable but not memorable. To be frank, there is a real lack of quality in it's execution, which essentially makes it a disappointing watch for me personally given it's lead actors.

Classic

[arnold_benj · 10/10 · 24 April 2006]

Consider the range and the capture of characters in one movie, Colors delivers multiple plot lines from a number of sides.

I remember when this movie first came out I was in Jr. high school. Colors was a controversial movie talked about by teachers, principles and parents because, believe it or not, it had a tendency for glorification and encouraging gang membership.

To my surprise, the movie has little glorification in it and was a grim summary of Los Angeles gang life (and even that of law enforcement.) The movie does not spoon feed its audience, save for a few minor comments that were cheesy at their worst and cleverly woven in at their best.

In some cases the portrayal of gang life in LA might have been TOO broad and sophisticated for many viewers. The title COLORS and its implication was meant to explain the rival Crip and Blood gangs but in fact that was merely a pretext. Soon into the movie the viewer is taken into various other neighborhoods as well as other gangs, including WHITE FENCE and 21st Street.

For those that denounce this movie as being outdated, cheesy or otherwise, it's hard for me to understand what you are paying attention to. If you remember the 80's in the slightest, it was a time of decadent and flamboyant neon glow ala Prince, Michael Jackson and various other nonsense. The irony is that COLORS portrays a world that was virtually isolated and separate from the 80's because that is what it was MEANT to point out. This was gang life at its peak, before any of the gangster rap hit white suburbia and became a marketable fad. This was BEFORE white folks thought it was cool. It was isolated from the look and feel of the rest of the 80's because this world was isolated from the general population.

For this reason I am surprised that anyone would call the movie outdated in any way. "Timeless" is the word I use to describe it.

Despite all this, Hopper manages to incorporate the storyline between Duval and Penn. Not only is this a brilliant interaction between two great actors, it also has a more marketable value to a white audience that would otherwise have been turned off by the subject matter and considered it, unfairly, as a "blacksploitation" film. Let's face it, Hollywood is big business. The ability to market this movie with ANY semblance of a good plot line but making it even remotely realistic is an amazing achievement.

Hopper goes beyond doing both. I would not be surprised to see this movie in the classics section, someday.

Better with Age

[lavaside-60237 · 7/10 · 6 September 2022]

When it first came out, it was probably a C movie to all but the kids who watched it, and fell in love with crip and blood culture.

Almost 40 years later, the additions of 'cultural relevance' and a creatively stagnant film industry makes it all the more entertaining.

Somehow, this movie felt dated in '95 - but in '22 is the only one of its genre still watchable. A paradox. Clearly, Penn and Duvall are timeless.

It should be noted, for historical purposes, this movie led to crip and blood gangs popping up all over America; and with the proliferation of gangsta rap - brought about the 90s gangsta culture that ruined millions of lives.

Younger generations can equate it to how much biker culture grew after Sons of Anarchy became popular.

the Old, the new, and the unbreakable

[Quinoa1984 · 9/10 · 12 July 2009]

Dennis Hopper's film Colors may seem like hundreds of miles removed from his first feature as director Easy Rider, but it's made twenty years later and it shows effectively at least two things on his part: first, that he can express himself in material that would appear to be a "for-hire" work, specifically with having an older, calmer version of himself in Duvall (the kind that tries to think things through and can be ferocious but has experience from a life of work) and Penn (the young hot-head who you know is good but is troubled in other ways), and secondly that he can go back to some of his earliest acting roots, working in movies featuring rebels and gangs (not least of which Rebel Without a Cause) and actually give them the fire and energy and as-much-as-possible realism so desperately needed. Colors is a mature work from a filmmaker who knows what he's doing, and will let the actors and the mood of the streets and the temperament of the current events (which were practically untenable in the late 80s and early 90s in gang-banger) LA.

Matter of fact, this should have been Hopper's professional calling-card, showing that he can make a film that isn't an art-film or too experimental (Last Movie) or under the radar (Out of the Blue). Indeed you'd have to remind most people that Hopper even directed it since, frankly, he lets his stars steal the show, and rightfully so. There's not a solid plot to speak of, more-so a character study of two cops, one older one younger, who are partnered up and have to tackle the ghettos and slums, loaded with "Blue" (Crips) and "Red") (Bloods), and also the various Hispanic gangs that are not as notorious but still as powerful and dangerous.

It's a series of pieces that soon take shape into a story, but it's not even about that. It's just about following these gangs and being true to their nature: of their rites of passage (beating up the new kids and setting them off to prove themselves), their bond and codes, their can-do attitude even when they're behind bars or in hand-cuffs, and the collective wisdom that you can either talk to a cop or just run... or, another alternative, shoot. It's also about a value system and class differences; the former relating, of course, to Hodges (Duvall) and Penn, who don't see eye to eye on how to apprehend suspects or treat them. Penn's younger guy isn't a crooked cop or corrupted, but he's a hot-head, a junkie for adrenaline, while Duvall's been around the block way too many times (and even admits that he had a higher post before and is still on the streets for reasons not totally made clear) to put up with being "like a gangster" as he says.

And the class part relates to the difference between McGavin (Penn) and his supposed girlfriend, who comes from the Latino parts of the hood and has family that Hodges has come in contact with as a cop, putting them up against the wall. It's through this that we see the split between the people in Lost Angeles, and while it's not a subtle point really (and may even be one of the more cliché things in the picture), it still goes a way to try and add immediacy to the drama, and McGain's own personal conflicts on the streets. And, again, those gangs, some played by actors (Don Cheadle and Damon Wayans in early roles, Sy Richardson), others by I would assume real gang-bangers and people 'from the streets' (another thing Hopper is good at, casting real people, which he doesn't get enough credit for), that are allowed to be fleshed out and made into real people, or as real as they can be in this movie.

The filmmakers don't make us feel sympathy for the gang members, but through making them human beings as opposed to just targets and caricatures, it adds to the whole experience of being about something. Nothing here is exploited; it's a well-researched time-capsule that still holds its own years later, least as long as there are crips and bloods and other gangs and, you know, hot-headed cops with old-timer veterans. Very solid, professional film-making.

The gangs of L.A. will never die... Just multiply

[view_and_review · 7/10 · 6 February 2020]

"I am a nightmare walking

Psychopath talking

King of my jungle just a gangster stalking"

These were the immortal words of Ice-T in the theme song for "Colors." It is still one of the best rap theme songs ever. Hip hop was evolving at the same time the ghettos were and it seemed as the ghettos got more desperate and violent the rap music did the same, but it was also getting better.

This was the first real gang movie I'd ever seen. "Warriors" and other gang movies came out before but they weren't very realistic or relatable. "Colors" was a lot grittier, rawer, and realistic. It is more explicitly about the Crips and the Bloods while still covering other gangs on the streets of L.A. These two main gangs, as well as other gangs, existed before the mid-80's, but they were never so violent. What made them into the vicious territorial killers they became? Drugs. Specifically crack. Now the gangbangers had more to fight for than just a rep or a block, now they were fighting for sales and profits and that made the fight deadly.

"Colors" touches on the drug issue but it doesn't spotlight it. Robert Duvall and Sean Penn as Bob Hodges and Danny "Pacman" McGavin were more of a focus. Through their eyes we saw how the different gangs operated and how the two officers operated as members of C.R.A.S.H. (Community Resources Against Street Hoodlums). Hodges was a wily veteran that commanded at least a modicum of respect from the locals whereas McGavin was a wild hothead that was looking to earn respect via the Billy Club.

This movie was as tragic as it was good. It's hard to believe that "Colors" is about a place in America, it looked more akin to a third world country. Several movies would be released after "Colors" in the same vein-- some better, some worse--but I consider "Colors" the father of them all.

Tries To Be A Social Commentary Film But Fails

[Theo Robertson · 5/10 · 7 August 2010]

COLORS is a film by Dennis Hopper . Originally scripted by Richard Di le Lello changes were demanded by the director who brought in screenwriter Michael Schiffer who changed the location and emphasised gang life in the ghetto . In many ways it's a precursor to the " anti-gangster " films of the early 1990s like BOYZ IN DA HOOD and MENACE TO SOCIETY . Unfortunatetly by trying to make a realist film this works against the movie

One of the fundamental aspects of realist cinema is casting unknowns . Hopper prided himself on casting real LA gang members in walk on parts , but this is negated by having two very well known actors in the lead roles as beat cops both of whom are written as the old clichéd " hard bitten cop who knows how the streets work " and " young cop who doesn't but he still wants to make a name for himself " . Duvall does of course do the best with the material he's given but Penn is distracting . Watching the film more than 20 years after it was released might actually improve your opinion of Penn since he's a double Oscar winning actor who's considered amongst the best actors of his generation . Not so in 1988 when his only real claims to fame was that he would often assault anyone who annoyed him and was married to Madonna

There is another another aspect that stops the film from being realist cinema and that is the soundtrack . Usually a realist film has no incidental score but here we get an often intrusive in your face music soundtrack . It's interesting how so many films from the 1980s give the impression that the most important aspect to a movie was the music which dates COLORS along with making it difficult to describe it as being either realist or a star vehicle commercial film

An intense, powerful movie...

[dr.gonzo-4 · 24 November 1999]

Before you had BOYS N THE HOOD or MENACE II SOCIETY, there was COLORS. This movie is the original article in urban-street dramas that spawned many followers in the 90's. But like those films it is an intense, powerful movie that takes you to the streets in an extremely realistic way. The caption on the VHS cover says something like two gangs at war(Bloods & Crips)with the police caught in between. Well, that is pretty misleading. Although most films like this would stick with the gang war as the main focus, COLORS has many different plot levels that all come together very nicely. Sean Penn & Robert Duvall are right on the mark as the two officers on the beat. The film ultimately succeeds through its perspectives, giving points of view from all sides and fully expresses the harsh reality that everyone involved faces. When the film first came out, it was bashed for its extreme violence and portrayal of gang members. Well, I definitely think Dennis Hopper did an excellent job and I feel that violence is crucial in a film like this to add to its strong sense of reality which some people may not be too familiar with.

An Introduction To The Gangs of LA.

[rmax304823 · 7/10 · 18 February 2012]

Dennis Hopper has directed a thoroughly exoteric movie, accessible to anyone, with not a sign of any psychedelic trappings. An occasional line sounds improvised but otherwise it's conventionally done. It's not bad, either, and might be especially illuminating for people who live in isolated little towns like Deming, New Mexico.

It's a story of two cops -- a youngish hothead and hard charger (Penn) and the more laid-back and experienced man on the brink of retirement (Duvall). Both of them get the job done.

The plot has Bloods and Crips prominent in the first half. That's to introduce the good folk of Deming to the idea of rival gangs in Los Angeles. But the emphasis shifts to an unnamed barrio gang of Mexican youths led by Trinidad Silva, who calls everyone "Homes", as short for "home boy" or "home boys". It doesn't matter to Silva whether the term of address is used as a singular or plural. Everybody is "Homes." Silva is fine in the role. He has an ambiguous relationship with Duvall's cop. He helps keep the barrio relatively peaceful, seeing to it that his Homes don't do much more than smoke some grass, do some crack, maybe boost things once in a while, and run up more than a dozen parking tickets. He keeps Duvall informed of what's up, while Duvall occasionally does him a favor in return. Trinidad Silva is fine in the role, but it's hard to tell how much range he had. (He's gone now.) He may have been a one-shot deal like Alfonso Bedoya, "Gold Hat" in "The Treasure of the Sierra Madre." The production design is outstanding. This isn't downtown LA. Nobody drinks cocktails and lives in Malibu. These are seedy, shabby, desolate neighborhoods, alive with people in the way that some kitchen cabinets seem to be alive with cockroaches. And the graffiti is everywhere and in a multiplicity of form. Some is nicely organized into epic murals, if obvious. These are, after all, in the tradition of Diego Rivera and Jose Orozco, and David Siqueiros.

Maria Conchita Alonso, a Cuban singer, is pretty, vivacious, and dispensable. There is a black preacher, Troy Curvey, Jr., who mightily deplores the drugs and violence that affect the neighborhood. He and the audience at the funeral have the call-and-response pattern down pat. The ritual is interrupted by a drive-by machine gunning. There is one other drive-by shooting and one or two climactic shoot outs. As I said, this movie is commercially oriented.

Not as bad as I'd expected but I hope by now we don't really need this Introduction to Gang Warfare 101, not even in Deming. And, it's a little sad -- watching this, seeing the hills and the palms and the warm sunny climate -- I kept thinking of how tranquil and accommodating the Los Angeles basin was before the city got there. The Chumash Indians lived in nearby Santa Barbara. If you dig through their ancient garbage dumps, you find that they didn't change their way of life for more than three thousand years. Why should they? They had everything they needed. Now we couldn't do without a fleet of patrol cars, that palladium of civilization.

Gang warfare in L.A. over a tremendous soundtrack

[matthewlcorey · 7/10 · 30 April 2021]

A clamorous vision of gang warfare in Los Angeles directed by Dennis Hopper with his patented flair for the unusual and bizarre. Robert Duvall and Sean Penn are fine in their roles as L. A. cops, but what really gives the film its edge is the presence of actual gang members whom Hopper cast to play the Bloods and the Crips. Without totally departing from action movie conventions, Colors brims with flavor and detail and features a tremendous soundtrack.

Hopper, Duvall and Penn on the inner-city LA streets

[Mr-Fusion · 7/10 · 7 March 2012]

Two great performances from Robert Duvall and Sean Penn, and some great direction by Dennis Hopper gives "Colors" an engrossing quality that's still alive and well, 25 years later. Duvall is the experienced cop, still working the streets and counting the days to retirement. Penn, his rookie partner with a mean streak that borders on sadistic. Forced to work together, the two LAPD uniforms butt heads as they struggle to keep L.A.'s streets safe from the ever-worsening gang warfare.

"Colors" shares similarities with "To Live and Die in L.A." Though far less taut than Friedkin's signature cop film, Hopper's filming on the streets of inner-city L.A. brings loads of authenticity to the proceedings. And like Friedkin, Hopper puts the audience in the front seat during a great car chase, while the busts are in-your-face and manage to excite, even after so many intervening years. The result is a gritty cop movie that seeks to address the gang problems from both sides. Showcasing several familiar faces in their pre-fame days (Leon, Don Cheadle and Damon Wayans), and boasting a surprisingly effective Herbie Hancock score, Hopper's understated cop drama is a solid effort.

7/10

One Hell Of A War!

[PredragReviews · 7/10 · 1 May 2016]

Dennis Hopper has always been a talent, both in front and behind the camera. "Colors" could only be handled by the likes of an independent spirit like Hopper: It's tough, brutal, no watered down studio gloss, no techno effects.

Both actors bring more depth to their clichéd roles than might be expected, playing off each other surprisingly well, even in moments where they are given little more to do than react. But "Colors" offers no real answers to anything. The cops are presented mostly as well-armed zookeepers, while the gang members, blessed with youth and health but not much brains, run violently about, making the story mostly a series of aimless confrontations. Art imitating life? Maybe... This allows an ending, where the now older policeman repeats an old joke to a newer one.

Why do people form gangs? It's a form of socialization or group support. In some other places it could be the volunteer fire department (a replacement for the long-forgotten militia) or a church or social club. No mention of ethnic grouping, more likely in some other places. This movie does not explain why they live there or do not move away. All in all, its an average story that is somewhat educational in its characters.

Overall rating: 7 out of 10.

Authentic and well-made cop drama

[Coffee_in_the_Clink · 7/10 · 1 March 2020]

Robert Duvall and Sean Penn provide two powerful performance as Officers Hodges and McGavin in this realistic cop drama. Hodges has one year until retirement. He is very experienced in dealing with gang members on the streets of LA to the extent that he knows that you must pick your battles as a cop, and that bending the rules and discretion are vital in maintaining some semblance of law and order. McGavin, on the other hand, is his new partner, and only sees things as black and white, Us versus Them. He will chase a guy down to hell to bust him for simple marijuana possession. These two different styles will invariably clash as the pair navigate the hostile streets of 1980s Los Angeles, in the grips of war between the Bloods and Crips gangs.

What a film from Dennis Hopper. This is the original "hood" movie, in the sense that it depicts the gang violence in LA from an authentic grassroots level. On one hand we have a strong police drama centered on Hodges and McGavin, while on the other we get a wider scope of the gang activity with gangsters played by the likes of Don Cheadle getting screen time in an attempt to depict just what makes these people so indebted to a gangster lifestyle. Reminiscent of "The Wire", a brilliant tv show that was made years later. Unfortunately, this is actually what inhibits the film and causes the lack of cohesion that frustratingly prevents it from being greater. Hopper tried to do too much here. I think it would have been better forgetting about the gangsters and just focusing more on Hodges and McGavin, like "Lethal Weapon" done the year previous. The acting from Duvall and Penn is top notch. The cop scenes have an almost documentary type feel to them and the violence is very realistic in that the brawling is messy and the take-downs look text-book straight from a training mat. Watch the way Sean Penn cuffs people. He really has that fresh-out-of-the-academy enthusiasm and fine tuning. This is a credit to the actors and Hopper's directing.

"Colors, Colors, Colors, Colors, Colors..."

[dee.reid · 8/10 · 19 July 2017]

And so goes the chorus for rapper Ice-T's hit gang warfare anthem "Colors," which also happened to be the name of the 1988 gang warfare action film "Colors," which was directed by the late actor/director Dennis Hopper, who does not appear at all in the film.

"Colors" was one of the earliest films to deal with the bloody gang violence that by 1988 when the film was released, close to 400 gang-related murders had occurred in the greater Los Angeles area. The police were overworked and unable to effectively deal with the increasing gang violence, communities were forced to live in fear, and the L.A. streets were a virtual war zone.

"Colors" was also different from previous films dealing with gangs in the fact that although it was told largely from the point-of-view of the dedicated police officers out there on the streets trying to curb the rising gang violence and ease community fears, it also showed us some of the inner-workings of gangs and why some people, mostly teenagers and young adults, join them and find such a dangerous lifestyle so rewarding. For once, gang members are given a human face so that we understand why they may do what they do as gangs.

The film focuses on the L.A. Police Department's anti-gang C.R.A.S.H. (Community Resources Against Street Hoodlums) unit. At the beginning of the film, and using a set-up familiar to the many buddy-cop action films produced during the time, veteran C.R.A.S.H. officer Bob Hodges (Robert Duvall) is partnered up with the brash, young Danny McGavin (Sean Penn). Hodges knows the streets and has an informal rapport with many of the local L.A. gangs, and many of them know him; there's a sense of mutual respect between Hodges and the gang members. Danny also knows the streets, but knows nothing of how to fight the gangs terrorizing them and he just wants to bust heads and make arrests.

"Colors" is almost episodic as Hodges and Danny go from one anti-gang operation to another, but a plot of sorts forms at the scene of the latest gang homicide. A young "Blood" gang member is gunned down in his backyard by a rival "Crips" crew, led by Rocket (Don Cheadle, in an early role playing a character with much restrained malevolence). Hodges and McGavin are put on the case, and as their investigation goes on, it brings them into contact with many of the other local L.A. gangs fighting for "turf" in the streets - eventually culminating in a bloody turf war with the cops and surrounding communities caught in the middle.

"Colors" does have its weaknesses in an occasionally spotty script and weak dialogue. But the film keeps you watching and engaged to what's going on on the screen. Fault can be found, of course, with the buddy-cop formula of pairing a veteran like Robert Duvall with an unseasoned rookie in Sean Penn. But their pairing works, as the two constantly clash with one another over their differing approaches to the job - but gradually build a grudging respect for the other man and his perspective on how to best handle their situation.

"Colors" was also remarkable, as I mentioned earlier, in that the gang members themselves are not nameless, faceless entities occupying your typical us-vs.-them war flick. No. Hopper actually took the opportunity to go inside the gangs so that we get to know some of them as characters. We don't condone anything they do, but we get to know them and understand why gang-banging is so appealing - family, belonging, lack of ambition and/or opportunity, power/status, the overall lifestyle, etc. It was a brave and revealing, and unflinching, insight, and a departure, since not having this could have made "Colors" seem like your run-of-the-mill late-'80s cop movie.

A great action-crime film that comes highly recommended from this viewer.

8/10

Accurate and often damning

[gcd70 · 7/10 · 11 January 2008]

Dennis Hopper's violent homage to the L.A.P.D. "C.R.A.S.H." unit that patrols gangland caused many a sensation when it was released in 1988. Community groups across the city of angels called the film controversial and even irresponsible, claiming that it was likely to stir up trouble and fighting due to its subject matter, and it did! At one of the premier screenings in Los Angeles suburbia, rioting broke out between two rival gangs.

On the other end of the scale were those who praised the film for its bravery and honesty, saying that "Colors" was a powerful statement concerning the violence on the streets of LA I for one certainly can't dispute the film's controversy, however I would argue that often these type of movies sometimes have to be made before anybody will do anything about the situation. Take the 1978 film "Midnight Express", about American Billy Hayes who was imprisoned in a Turkish jail. Both governments took immediate action after viewing that movie. And even if nothing comes of "Colors", perhaps the population of the world will have benefited from the education it offers.

While I would disagree that "Colors" is a powerful picture, it certainly is honest, and both screen writers Michael Schiffer and Richard Dilello, along with director Dennis Hopper, should be credited for broaching such a touchy subject.

Sean Penn and Robert Duvall both give strong performances as the cops who find themselves at odds when it comes to handling the street hoodlums who poison the town with drugs and rule it with machine guns. Backing the two leads is a fine support cast, great hip hop music from Herbie Hancock, and sharp cinematography from Haskell Wexler.

"Colors" is an accurate and often damning film about street gang violence which seems to suggest that trying to help these kids at their level may be more effective than fighting them head on.

Sunday, July 17, 1994 - Video

Interesting depiction of gangs in LA... good performances

[PersianPlaya408 · 9/10 · 5 July 2003]

Colors First-Viewing, TV(Dennis Hopper)- Sean Penn, Robert Duvall, Don Cheadle, Maria Conchita Alonso, Glen Plummer, Grand L. Bush, Damon Wayans, Leon Robinson

Robert Duvall and Sean Penn star as two cops trying to fight gang violence in Los Angelos. Duvall is an old cop, who is going to retire, and Penn plays a rookie who is keen to make his presence felt on the force. Both give good performances, although Penn was clearly the highlight of the film, with an interesting character and very good performance. Robert Duvall was also good though, with a complex performance. Don Cheadle was virtually absent, was a bit of a villain, portraying a Crip gangbanger, but had very little lines, unfortunately. Maria Conchita Alonso played a woman in the ghetto that Officer McGavin (Penn) was interested in, and gave a very average performance. Other gangbangers played by Glen Plummer, Grand L. Bush, Damon Wayans and Leon Robinson, were all good in their small roles. Overall a good film depicting gang violence in LA, also had some good action sequences, and good acting. 8/10

stellar cast needed better material

[mjneu59 · 6/10 · 12 November 2010]

Dennis Hopper's much discussed gang warfare drama was tailor made for controversy, being too honest for exploitation but, at the same time, shallow enough to frustrate viewers expecting something more than what it is: only another action-packed, urban cop story with a topical background. No, it doesn't glorify gang violence, but it does romanticize the thrill of the chase, with cars careening off each other while the boom boxes pound on the soundtrack. Sean Penn and Robert Duvall make a formidable acting team, playing two LA policemen battling each other as well as the gangs, each of them bringing a measure of depth to their stereotypical macho cop characters with typically intense performances. Meanwhile the script wanders all over the east LA barrios before finally pausing for a suitably tragic conclusion; screenwriter Michael Schiffer wisely passes no judgment and makes no attempt to put the problem of gang warfare into perspective, which is probably why some people were worried that the film itself might incite violence (it didn't).

Penn & Duvall were Great Together

[whpratt1 · 5/10 · 24 January 2006]

Viewed this film a few years ago and enjoyed it the second time around. Sean Penn, (Officer Danny McGavin) was a rookie who started out knowing just how to handle the various gangs in Los Angeles and even got all hot and bothered about a nice looking gal who could Tease and Please without any problems. His old time partner was, Robert Duvall,(Bob Hodges), who was married and had a family and tried to take Danny McGavin under his wing and calm him down. Bob Hodges was about to retire and had handled the various gangs a different way that most of the other Police officers and it seemed to work out very well. Bob got all kinds of information he needed by just treating the gangs and their leaders with a certain kind of respect. The film had plenty of action, but was entirely too long for a story we have seen many times on the Big Screen. However, Duval and Penn gave outstanding performances and were great working together.