Review of CHIPS

CHIPS (2017)
4/10
Below average and silly film adaptation of a popular 1970s TV series.
25 April 2024
"CHiPs," which stood for California Highway Patrol, follows the daily beats of two state motorcycle patrolmen as they patrolled the freeway system in and around Los Angeles. At the beginning, at the training center for the California Highway Patrol, an older rookie motorcycle officer named Jon Baker (Dax Shepard) is being allowed to graduate on a probationary basis. He is a former freestyle motocross racer beginning a new career after his body has been left damaged by his sport. The FBI agent, now undercover as Frank (Ponch) Poncherello (Michael Peña), is sent to the CHP after an armored car robbery, which makes it apparent that there are corrupt cops working in the department. Both report to their superiors, who gave out assignments and advice in handling the cases. The corrupt officers are seen being led by Lt. Ray Kurtz (Vincent D'Onofrio), who is stealing the money from armored cars to get his heroin-addicted son out of Los Angeles.

This comic-book stuff dealing with the adventures of two California Highway Patrol motorcycle officers contains humor, irony, suspense, thrills, noisy action-packed, crossfire and lots of violence with multiple deaths. There are compilation of incidents, ranging from the humorous to criminal investigations such as robbery, tragic incidents and chases. A stupid adaptation without much sense in which there is continuous action, bad words, foul-mouthed characters and some motorcycle pursuits. It is an inferior film without much sense that disgraced the classic television series of the seventies by introducing continuous sexual references, profanity, swearing and nudism. While in the classic series starring Erik Strada and Larry Ward, a pleasant relationship is developed between the two protagonists, in this case CHIPS(2017) the relationship is limited to bad taste, jokes, coarseness and sleazeness. Here officer Jon Baker/Dax Sheppard is the straight, serious officer, an inexperienced rookie who's teamed up with a hardened pro at the California Highway Patrol, and Frank "Ponch" Poncherello/Michael Peña is the more free- wheeling member of the duo and often provided the lighter moments. Dax Shepard did most of his own stunts, including the stoppie during the training test. There are many familiar faces in the supporting cast giving functional performances, such as: Vincent D'Onofrio, Rosa Salazar, Kristen Bell, Jessica McNamee, Adam Brody, Isiah Whitlock Jr. Richard T. Jones, Justin Chatwill, Jane Kaczmarek, Ed Begley Jr., David Koechner, among others

The motion picture was lousily acted/produced and directed by Dax Shepard. Screenwriter and star Dax Shepard specifically wrote the role of his wife Karen for his real-life wife, and mother of his two daughters, Kristen Bell. He previously made a made TV films and movies, such as: About a Boy, Parenthood, Hit and run and Brother's Justice. And played a lot of films , such as: Zathura: A Space Adventure, Employee of the month, Cheaper by the docen, Without a Paddle; Sledge: the untold story, among others. Rating: 3.5/10.
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