http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0421073/board/threads/

Also Jamie Moss apparently co-wrote one of the earlier drafts with Keanu; first time I heard about it: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0421073/board/flat/156021791

(didn't see the linked video yet because I don't have the time.)

Ani, it's just one line in a behind the scenes video.
but watch it ; it's just a 49 seconds vid. and it's always interesting to see how there are at least 20 crew people swarming around the two-three actors playing a scene... how what we see on the screen as 'real' is in fact 'make-believe'... the way actors have to zone out everything else but the scene and yet take care to be in the right spot for the camera to catch the right angle...the complexity of movie-making...
As that poster said, the more I watch making of and behind the scenes videos, the more my respect for actors increases. It's a difficult job.

Just a few words and it should clear everything up:

1. This movie wasn't mind blowing as the Matrix, or entertaining as let’s say Lethal Weapon, nor was it as dramatic as The Departed. However someone said it was on the level with Training Day, and I'd tend to agree, it had somewhat of a similar tone. In addition it had some great cameos as well as minor supporting roles that made it more entertaining and authentic to itself.

2. If to be honest they could've gone with better than Keanu if they would've wanted a very dynamic character. However as you can tell, the character meant to be somewhat of a black-sheep that's mainly following orders while trying to get clues to his own agenda, and while is the main protagonist, his character is entirely driven and fed off of the other characters around him. That's Keanu's biggest gift and biggest flaw. He can carry a tremendous movie, but somehow his character is never the catalyst, rather propelled into action and then taking a life on its own. This is why some people may call him a wooden actor... But believe me, he's far from it. There's no way you can take the character from The Replacements, Bill and Ted, Devil's advocate, Speed, The Matrix or The Watcher and say it's the same one every time, not to mention this one as well.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0421073/board/flat/125620357?p=2

http://www.flickfilosopher.com/blog/2008/04/street_kings_review.html

the comments are worth reading too :)

I'm HAPPY!!!!

an elitist who didn't get it :(

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Oh, that racism thing was good!Come on, it was just shown that Ludlow used all that(and guns and a phonebook) to reach his aim and will stop at nothing.

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EXACTLY.

I really liked his character; Keanu played Tom's surface racism and crassness just right. I felt like all of his actions were based in total apathy; at one time Ludlow really wanted to be 'the good guy' and do what was right, but somehwere down the line he stopped caring, and was just going through the motions. He couldn't even enjoy the off-the-book perks and liberties of his unit. But in the end he was the perfect man to eliminate the source of corruption. I think the line that really defined his character was at the end, when he asked "What happened to just locking up bad people?"

XD

later edit : re-watched the whole movie anyway. just had to ;) I still say it's one of his best performances ever.

... don't tell me there are screencaps somewhere on the net...

later edit: ... just discovered that my monitor's settings are shot to hell. the image is about 3 times darker than when the DVD is played with the player connected to the TV. AAARGH! have to see what can be done about that... :(((
any ideas?