Dragged Across Concrete (2018)

Directed by: S. Craig Zahler | 152 minutes | action, crime | Actors: Mel Gibson, Vince Vaughn, Tory Kittles, Michael Jai White, Thomas Kretschmann, Jennifer Carpenter, Laurie Holden, Don Johnson, Udo Kier, Fred Melamed, Justine Warrington, Matthew MacCaull, Primo Allon, Jordyn Ashley Olson, Myles Truitt, Vanessa Bell Calloway, Tattiawna Jones

Director S. Craig Zahler is working hard to make a name for himself in Hollywood. His 2015 first release ‘Bone Tomahawk’ became a cult hit. Two years later, his breakthrough came with “Brawl In Cell Block 99” in which he directed Vince Vaughn. The tall American had been seen in a serious role for a long time. As a rock-hard prisoner, he showed a different side of his reach as an actor and he liked it. Zahler said he was a gifted director who managed to unite different genres. Horror, drama and crime became a whole. A pulpy B-movie sauce gave ‘Brawl In Cell Block 99’ a sharp edge. A year after the release of this film, the filmmaker comes up with ‘Dragged Across Concrete’. Another direct hit?

In ‘Dragged Across Concrete’, two dubious cops (Vaughn and Mel Gibson) get into trouble when a raid is filmed and ends up on the news. The duo is rather rude and that results in a suspension. No work, no money. The pair decide to go into crime every six weeks without a salary.

Zahler again succeeds in evoking a desolate atmosphere. The world of this film is dark, gloomy and hopeless. He is supported by a strong cast in which Gibson stands out positively. His character continues to have a tinge of sympathy around him, when in fact he is a first-rate villain. A corrupt cop with shady morals. Vaughn comes across as wooden and does not know what to do with the artificial dialogues. The characters in this film use downright artificial and witty one-liners. It doesn’t go over well.

Despite the strange dialogues, this film remains very enjoyable. The surreal atmosphere keeps you captivated until the end. This production is also unpredictable. Special crime film from a director to keep an eye on.