A kidnapping, a spooky carwash, grungy locations, and a long car chase all figure into this cop film about an elite group of NYC policemen, known as the "seven-ups", who pursue criminals whose crimes warrant prison time of seven years and up.
The script seems perfunctory and indifferent, with too many villains, and not enough differentiation between them. It's hard to tell who's doing what to whom. The only clarity is in the lead detective named "Buddy" (Roy Scheider) and a couple of his detective partners. Beyond that, most of the other characters seem to blur into each other. Some are organized mobsters; others are just freelance thugs, at odds with each other.
At the plot's midpoint, the director introduces what is arguably the big highlight of the film, an urban car chase that goes on for an incredible nine minutes. Complete with screeching tires that never go flat despite tearing into objects and automobiles, the chase has Buddy pursuing a couple of thugs at unrealistically high speeds. The reason for such a lengthy chase is not clear, but the POV shots from inside the cars make for an interestingly vicarious ride.
On-location filming is terrific, and by far the best element. Cinematography is acceptable; colors are muted. This film contains very long scenes, which give depth to the characters, but also slows the film's pace. Acting is average. Roy Scheider would not have been my choice to play the role of Buddy. The casting problem with the villains relates more to script problems than to the actors. Intermittent background music is interestingly eerie.
The best that can be said of this somewhat dull movie is that it does evoke a specific place and time in American history, the late 60s and early 70s in urban America. The grit and roughness of the characters and locales convey a heightened realism that's not possible with current CGI effects. Apart from that, "The Seven-Ups" is a fairly formulaic story about big city cops and robbers.
The script seems perfunctory and indifferent, with too many villains, and not enough differentiation between them. It's hard to tell who's doing what to whom. The only clarity is in the lead detective named "Buddy" (Roy Scheider) and a couple of his detective partners. Beyond that, most of the other characters seem to blur into each other. Some are organized mobsters; others are just freelance thugs, at odds with each other.
At the plot's midpoint, the director introduces what is arguably the big highlight of the film, an urban car chase that goes on for an incredible nine minutes. Complete with screeching tires that never go flat despite tearing into objects and automobiles, the chase has Buddy pursuing a couple of thugs at unrealistically high speeds. The reason for such a lengthy chase is not clear, but the POV shots from inside the cars make for an interestingly vicarious ride.
On-location filming is terrific, and by far the best element. Cinematography is acceptable; colors are muted. This film contains very long scenes, which give depth to the characters, but also slows the film's pace. Acting is average. Roy Scheider would not have been my choice to play the role of Buddy. The casting problem with the villains relates more to script problems than to the actors. Intermittent background music is interestingly eerie.
The best that can be said of this somewhat dull movie is that it does evoke a specific place and time in American history, the late 60s and early 70s in urban America. The grit and roughness of the characters and locales convey a heightened realism that's not possible with current CGI effects. Apart from that, "The Seven-Ups" is a fairly formulaic story about big city cops and robbers.