Rating: 
Summary: Re: Wow
Review: First of all I want to thank Vince for serving and protecting....you helped to stop a couple of raving lunatics with Machine Guns and we are very grateful. Second, if Vince says its not completely accurate, so be it. Frankly though, even a sub-accurate depiction of the most intense shootout in Los Angeles history is jarring enough. 2 guys with automatic weapons, body armor, and using armor piercing bullets. I mean, is there anything more terrifying?!?! I doubt it.
So again, thank you Officer Vince, and check the movie out. Itll jar you for sure.
Rating: 
Summary: Great film....informative and accurate!
Review: I have seen this movie 5 or more times on TV(FX) and let me say that this is a great movie. This the stroy of The North Hollywood Shootout, which happened in a time where Officers did not have bulletproof vest supplied and didn't have access to automatic weapons. This movie has great acting and story(Being real it is also frightining), the movie also has the "Officers"(Actors) cut in and tell extra info during the movie, some of the facts they tell are suprising and things I had never knew before. I love the fact that the movie was not turned "All Hollywood" and that they left the story the was it really happened and didn't add useless "Storyline" into it. Overall, this movie was so good I have taped it and love to watch it to this day, and can't wait to get it on DVD!
Rating:
Summary: Could be a five
Review: I love this movie they did such a good job with the weapons and special effects it looks real. The only thing i didnt like about this movie and why it didnt get 5 stars is because i would have liked to see the real footage in the special features section but not every movie is perfect. This is a great movie and is worth the money!
Rating:
Summary: I was there...
Review: I was one of the Detectives involved in this incident...I was there for the entire "44 Minutes" firing both a handgun and then a shotgun when I ran out of 9mm ammo. I found the movie to be off on acuracy but as entertainment it was great. I must admit the sounds of the automatic weapons fire did bring back memories and get my heart racing a bit. As to some of the comments by other reviewers about suspect #2 being allowed to "bleed out", that was not true. He died of numerous gunshot wounds shortly after being taken into custody. The LAFD rescue team, who were already busy treating a detective with an AK-47 neck wound and the elderly man who was shot when suspect 2 was stealing his Jeep truck, didn't fill out a R/A slip with the time of death. A second R/A unit arrived about 20 minutes later and completed a slip using that time as the time of death, which made it appear he laid there over 20 minutes, dying...Additionally, the jury did not come back with a verdit for the family. The family did not recive an "out of court" settlement either. Suspect #1 did commit suicide at the same moment an officer's round struck him. FYI-Some little known facts-The majority of "officer shooters" were detectives, all were males, and "old timers" on the job. All of the 18 of us out there that day received the Medal of Valor and 10 of us from that group received America's "TOP COP" award in Washington DC in October 1998...It one day of many, February 27, 1997, that made me proud to be and LAPD Detective.
Rating:
Summary: cool
Review: other reviewer says taking down heavy armed bank robbers endangered people. letting them go could cause a car accident when they escaped. when they took the mask off the guy who was trying to shoot himself, the hole looked like the guy did shoot himself, though i'm not sure. the action was very good. I'm suprised this was a made for T.V. movie. The action is kind of like the first scene of Swat with more blood, a lot longer, and just a lot better.
Rating:
Summary: cool
Review: other reviewer says taking down heavy armed bank robbers endangered people. letting them go could cause a car accident when they escaped. when they took the mask off the guy who was trying to shoot himself, the hole looked like the guy did shoot himself, though i'm not sure. the action was very good. I'm suprised this was a made for T.V. movie. The action is kind of like the first scene of Swat with more blood, a lot longer, and just a lot better.
Rating:
Summary: Missing NOTHING
Review: The fool who thought the cops should let the bad guys go left out a VERY important piece of information-- no one died but the robbers, but they showed they were willing to kill indiscriminately. Cops are even allowed to shoot men like this in the BACK-- because IT SAVES FUTURE VICTIMS!The cops who faced down AK-47s with .38s and shotguns WERE heroes, no two ways about it. If you can't accept that, move to France. This is one of the best made for TV cop movies ever made. Well acted, authentic, and semi-documentary without being stiff or unimaginative.
Rating:
Summary: Missing NOTHING
Review: The fool who thought the cops should let the bad guys go left out a VERY important piece of information-- no one died but the robbers, but they showed they were willing to kill indiscriminately. Cops are even allowed to shoot men like this in the BACK-- because IT SAVES FUTURE VICTIMS! The cops who faced down AK-47s with .38s and shotguns WERE heroes, no two ways about it. If you can't accept that, move to France. This is one of the best made for TV cop movies ever made. Well acted, authentic, and semi-documentary without being stiff or unimaginative.
Rating: 
Summary: Ploddingly slow retelling of infamous Hollywood gunfight.
Review: The tag headline on the DVD box reads "The most intense shoot out in LAPD history"....unfortunately, the same cannot be said for this weak and slow moving dramatization.
Many persons would be quite familiar with the notorious 1997 incident at the Bank of America branch in Laurel Canyon, Los Angeles when the "High Incidence" bandits finally met their match against dozens of LAPD officers in a ferocious gun battle lasting approximately 44 minutes.
This 2003 telemovie is closely based around the events of that day and stars Michael Madsen, Mario van Peebles & Ron Livingston as three police officers caught in the maelstrom of bullets roaring from the bandits gun's. Now, with such gripping source material to work with, three decent male leads and lots of firepower you would anticipate a fast paced, dynamically acted recreation right ?......WRONG !
The disappointing "44 MINUTES" never really kick's into high gear and since the character development of the three lead roles is so minimal, viewers don't feel any real affinity for their struggle against the homicidal bandits ( played by ex-Ultimate Fighting Championship contender, Oleg Taktarov and Andrew Byniarski). Director Yves Simoneau primarily treads down the well worn path (originally started by Sam Peckinpah ) of utilising slow motion cinematography of the incessant gunfire, spent rounds bouncing around on the pavement, grimacing cops & police cars being shredded to pieces. However, the film editing is quite boring, so there is no real zest or excitement whilst bullets are flying in all directions, and the LAPD are trying to halt the carnage. Additionally, any tension build up in the film is regularly dismantled by having the main actors talking to the camera (in character) every 5-10 minutes saying how scared they were that day, or that they didn't think they would survive.
The script writers & director should have decided earlier on whether they were making a testimonial documentary, or an action movie...because it ultimately fails on both fronts.
For my money, if you want to watch more suspenseful, well acted (and action packed) telemovie's based on real life crimes, seek out the gripping "In The Line Of Fire: The FBI Murders" starring David Soul & Ronny Cox....or "In the Line of Fire: Manhunt in the Dakotas" with Michael Gross & Rod Steiger".
Rating:
Summary: Missing Important Information.
Review: This movie is a hype for the L.A. Police Department. It hypes their heroism. The police officers were hero's, but they also the ones responsible for the shootout. Having fully known the Gunmen were armed with Full Auto AK-47s they decided to engage them openly on the street with Pistols instead of waiting for proper back up.
Having spent done 2 tours in Vietnam with the 1st Marine Exp. the two things I remember are 1) The Sound of a RUSSIAN AK-47, and 2) that when I'm out gunned, I call in Support. Instead of allowing SWAT who is armed and trained to take down these types of criminals. The John Wayne's of the LAPD created a shootout which resulted in this film. We spend millions in tax dollars on Helicopters, unmarked cars, tracking equipment, and to make our SWAT teams the best in the world. Yet gung ho patrolmen need M16s now?
Never once in the Film do they tell you that SWAT couldn't get to the Bank, because the Patrolmen had blocked off the FreeWays creating traffic jams. This film also does not show that the L.A.P.D left one of the bank robbers in the street. He was left to bleed to death for 1hr and 4 Minutes. The Police said they thought he was wired with booby traps, yet in the real videos of the Shootout, a Dozen officers beat and strip the robber of his weapons/equipment. This was nothing more then a street justice execution by the police. Which the L.A.P.D. was sued for. None of this was in the film.
The film also does not show that after Emil had surrender the SWAT team continued to fire on him. Which can be seen in the real documentary "North Hollywood Shootout". It also flat out lied about how Larry Phillips died. In the movie, they show a police detective shoot him before he can commit suicide. In real life we watched live on the news as the man shot himself.
For entertainment, this movie was done well, for those who do not care about what's hidden from them, you'll enjoy it. I gave this movie 4 stars, because although It had some major mistakes, and important information left out. It was done rather well, those of you who want to watch it just for the shoot out action, you will love it. Those who watch it for information will not.
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