Reviewed by Adam Stephen Kelly
Stars Vinnie Jones | UK certification 15 | UK RRP £14.99 | DVD Region 2
Runtime 238 minutes | Directed by Matthew Fisher & Stockley Von Statzer
In Toughest Cops USA, footballer-come-actor Vinnie Jones spends a week each in four of the most crime-infested cities across the United States: Baltimore, Maryland; Laredo, Texas; New Orleans, Louisiana; and Vinnie's adopted home of Los Angeles, California. In each of the four cities, Jones rides with some of the most experienced and hard-boiled cops in the country, and even SWAT teams, as he gets a taste of the murder and drug underworlds that thrive in the four criminal hotbeds.
Each episode runs at 45 minutes, which is a decent amount of time to showcase the action of the so-called frontlines in the battle against crime. It's certainly better to have a prominent figure presenting these kinds of shows, rather than just a narrator who you can't put a face to. Vinnie seems like a fun guy and it's interesting seeing him tagging along with the police. You can see the excitement in his eyes and the adrenaline rushing when he gets involved in high-speed car chases, or when he's in an armoured car containing an assault rifle-wielding SWAT team. He even ends up chasing perpetrators through a neighbourhood at one point.
The four cities each have their own problems that each episodes focuses on, from the gang warfare of LA, to the illegal immigration and drug smuggling along the Tex-Mex border in Laredo, so these focuses keep things fresh. Having said that, there are only four episodes in the series, with a fifth dedicated to just the best moments in the different locations. How pointless is a best of episode on a DVD? Especially when there are only four episodes. Other than that gripe, Toughest Cops USA is a fun and quite thrilling first-hand look at the dangers of law enforcement in the States, and I'd be interested in seeing a future series dedicated to new locations in America.
EXTRAS ★★ The two-disc set contains four extended scenes and three features on Commander Pat Gannon of the LAPD.