The Sweeper Reviews

THE SWEEPER, an undistinguished action flick about a secret police society, provides nothing more substantial than another entry on C. Thomas Howell's increasing direct-to-video resume. When Mark Goddard (Howell) was a young boy, he witnessed the execution of his family, including his father, Dale (Jeff Fahey), an honest cop who wanted his son to follow in his footsteps. Fifteen years later, Mark is a police officer whose bitterness over his past has cost him his marriage and jeopardized his job. He is censured for his violent methods after killing nine of his suspects. Mark is recruited by Justice Incorporated, an underground organization of former police officers who take justice into their own hands by killing criminals. After completing several assignments for JI, Mark begins to question the organization's methods and motives, and learns that there is a connection between the organization and his own past, eventually discovering that his father was killed by the organization because he refused to join. Mark goes to JI headquarters to seek answers and revenge. A climactic car-to-airplane chase ends in the death of JI's leader, Molls (Ed Lauter). Mark reconciles with his ex-wife and puts his past behind him. There is little to distinguish THE SWEEPER from the other action video product put out by its distributor, PM Entertainment Group. They generally include a bounty of drawn-out car chases, one gratuitous sex scene, and loads of gunplay. THE SWEEPER is no exception. The action sequences, which obscure the thin plot, are abundant but not spectacular. Howell is saddled with a character which holds little appeal, and isn't helped by his grungy appearance. When Mark isn't fighting off bad guys, he is brooding and petulant. Fahey (who also received Associate Producer credit) provides the film's most compelling performance, and after his character is killed off, the film loses steam. (Violence, nudity, sexual situations, profanity.)