DVD review: Detroit
The movie has received mixed reviews with one critic commenting that Detroit “is a stunningly shot story of disturbing police brutality and civil unrest in 1960s Detroit.”
Reviewed by: Samantha Keogh
Review made possible by Times New Media
Right off the bat, I’ll confess I simply could not watch this film to the end.
While the cover sounded interesting the reality was boring beyond compare.
The movie has received mixed reviews with one critic commenting that Detroit “is a stunningly shot story of disturbing police brutality and civil unrest in 1960s Detroit.”
Another review claims: “Detroit is the most irresponsible and dangerous movie of the year.”
The film centres around the Detroit police raid, on July 23, 1967, of an unlicensed club during a celebration for returning black veterans.
While suspects are being arrested and loaded into several police vans, a mob forms and starts throwing rocks at the police before looting nearby stores and starting fires, thereby beginning the 12th Street Riot.
When civil authorities, elected representatives, and even emergency services are unable to maintain any semblance of order, Governor George W. Romney authorises the Michigan National Guard and army paratroopers to enter Detroit in order to provide assistance.
The events of the following day have become synonymous with police brutality.
On the second day of rioting, the Detroit Police Department, Michigan State Police and the Michigan Army National Guard search and seize an annexe of the nearby Algiers Motel.
Several policemen start to flout procedure by forcefully and viciously interrogating guests to get a confession.
By the end of the night, three unarmed men are gunned down while several others are brutally beaten.
Add to this 43 dead, 1 200 injured, 7 000 arrested and 2 000 scorched buildings and you have a tale of the civil rights movement tipping towards civil war while, in other parts of the United States of America, hippies were enjoying the summer of love.
