Anyone else feel that this subplot doesn't entirely fit with the movie? I almost feel that if this plot was left out, the film would have worked just as effectively... The Russians are never even seen, let alone given individual names. We are never shown what Alonzo's weekend in Vegas looked like, making the few references (and Alonzo's death) seem unnecessary. Was curious if anyone else felt the same...
shareIt was probably inserted to demonstrate the multiple racial and economic layers of criminals in Los Angeles. In other words, crime isn't just carried out by Mexicans and blacks but also other groups as well.
Not showing the Vegas incident created a subplot that climaxed the whole story in the end, plus they also probably didn't have time/money to film it anyway.
I think it makes Alonzo look vulnerable and provides a motivation for stealing the money. I think without this detail, Alanzo's motivations and desperation are harder to understand.
shareHe needed a reason to steal money and lots of it. I liked that the story shows that if you think you’re the tough guy, the alpha male, you’ll eventually f##k with the wrong person. Every dog has his day.
shareThe Russians are a weak part of the film. I don't believe that Russians have a big presence in Los Angeles (to the extent where they can shoot a decorated detective), and the way they get Alonzo at the end almost made them appear like ninjas or superheroes. The group was really undeveloped in the film.
But the film needed something like the Russians for the plot. Alonzo needed a reason to jack Roger and get the wheels turning in the film.
Maybe the filmakers should've opted for Chinese gangsters instead of Russians?
I once went to a Russian club in Los Angeles and the doorman was like “what do you want?” And we said we were just looking for a bar. He replied “Ill let you in if you spend $1000 here.”
We left, but that was some Russian mafia shit. By chance one of the girls with me was Russian and she said “mafia.”
The subplot didn’t really make sense because he seems so relaxed at first. He even has time to chase college kids, stop at his home and have sex with his wife, etc etc.
Oh, and it just so happens that he “needs” to pin it on the new guy, killing Rodger, even when they’ve established that the cops above him are crooked and his own team was in on the robbery.
I did like Alfonso being killed because it was the ultimate revenge for someone who tried to kill you, you take away their random and let the goons do their job.
You make a good point. The first half of the movie it doesn't seem like Alonzo is in much a of hurry. However, it might have been just a cover since he probably was stressed to the max facing nearly certain death.
However, if you piece the college kids was just a way to get drugs for Hoyt and going to side chicks house was like his last bang kinda like your last meal type of deal. Also to check on his son as if it might be the last time he sees him.
Pinning the killing of Roger on Hoyt was in my opinion very important. Alonzo for some reason didn't need that extra heat on him possible due to issues in the past and raising the suspicion of his corruption too high. The 3 wise men seem like they're a little fed up with Alonzo and might be planning their own means to dump him.
In my opinion the Russian plot serves its purpose just fine. It provides a means to move the plot forward and wrap the story up at the end. It was also kinda interesting to see how organized crime can efficiently take somebody out, even a high level officer.
A cop as crooked as Alfonzo could easily have whacked and robbed Rodger by himself in his own time. If he's a risk taker why not take the risk of a neighbor noticing him there after hearing a gunshot or a chainsaw?
shareAlonzo*
Cause the way he did it wasn't illegal as far as the police are concerned. He was there on business serving an arrest warrant. On top of everything else it made him look good and progressed his career the much more.
The Russians had a bigger part in the script and with a different ending with Alanzo being killed by the GangBangers. Imho I feel the film benefited from that added story line and the more brutal death.
yes it was there to show that those crips bloods and ms 13 like gangs had nothing on how hardcore tough/organized the russian mafias are everyone feared them
shareExcept that the Russian mob/tough as nails trope is an invention of Hollywood that you bought hook, line and sinker.
The Russian mob in whatever form it takes in the US is mostly just a fractured assembly of low-level pimps and drug distributors. They play no part in the Mexican Cartel enterprises that not only control gangs but also launder money through legit businesses such as fast food chains, auto insurance brokerages, and real estate holdings. If anything the Russian mob could be one of the final buying depots that Cartel drug supply ends up with, just like it ends up with Black, Asian, Armenian, White, Jewish and Hispanic drug dealers.
Asian crime syndicates also have a bigger presence in California than anything imagine by the Russian Mafia trope.
It doesn't matter if the trope isn't realistic.
That's the role the Russians play in this film: a looming threat beyond the scope of our characters that we don't really know that much about, and ultimately, it leads to his downfall.
They were a plot device.
Yes, because they added stakes to the story. But yeah, they were the most movie-like thing in a pretty realistic movie.
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