Old school pulp with contemporary action, Joe Carnahan’s Cop Shop makes for a ballistics-ridden good time! So don’t be fooled by the slow burn front end, because once the action starts, it – does – not - stop. Also giving us a big bang for our buck is the twisty (but not confoundingly so) plot. Clearly inspired by clever 70’s style cop actioners, there’s plenty of character intrigue to sink our teeth into. It also quickly becomes a game of “who will survive.” Those imperilled characters are extremely fun to watch mind you, thanks to a well assembled cast of game actors. With all the vim and vigour he can muster, Gerard Butler makes the most of his screen time (which is 99% behind steels bars), while Frank Grillo continues to prove his main cast worthiness (have I mentioned how underrated he is lately?). And while Alexis Louder is effortlessly believable as the rookie cop with all the right instincts, it is Toby Huss who steals things with an outrageous scenery chewing exhibition (and I mean that in the best way possible). Note that the humour is dark here, and therefore not going to be for everyone. And before you ask if the film adds anything new to the genre, the answer is no. But with a throwback charm and hard knock approach, Cop Shop certainly becomes an arresting addition to it!