Parts of the movie that don't make sense

Don't get me wrong, I dig this movie. It's the one post-millennial Hollywood film I can think of that genuinely reminds me of the kind of crime flick William Friedkin or Michael Cimino could have made during the late 70's. But I have a lot of issues with the screenplay.

1. Why the heck would Joaquin keep both a matchsticks and the bugged lighter? Yeah, I know, he's used to using matchsticks and by having both it creates tension for the audience...but, let's face it, we knew he was gonna get caught like that as soon as he lit a match on the way to the drug den. It just made the character look dumb. He shoulda dropped the matches. The crazy Russian bad guy was obviously smart enough to bust open his lighter regardless.

2. Joaquin's pulse going like a race horse in the drug den - another thing that makes the character look dumb just to create tension with the audience. Come on, this guy was used to schmoozing with drug dealers and other criminal element in his club. In some ways, he was in his element in that drug den, even if he'd never crossed over into that part of the underworld before. Let's put it this way, being a drug-addicted nightclub owner, he's more at home in a drug den than he is at the police station. Having some sweat trickle down Joaquin's forehead, that would have been more believable and less over the top. I honestly thought the poor guy was gonna have a heart attack.

3. Mark Wahlberg goes from being tough guy New York City cop - you know, typical Mark Walhberg character - to a panic-stricken baby during the final shootout. Yeah, I know he was attacked outside his own home but come on. This guy had obviously been a cop since he was old enough to wear a badge. I'm sure the events of the film were not his first shootout or violent altercation. I don't buy that he becomes such a deer in headlights during the climactic bust.

Anyway, I'll stop here before I offend my fellow fans of the movie.