Two policemen, one an old-timer, the other his volatile younger partner, find themselves suspended when a video of their strong-arm tactics becomes the media's cause du jour. Low on cash and with n...
Dragged Across Concrete steadily cements its hardened state with grit and transgression. Towering blocks of brutalist architecture overlook the urban heartbeat of Bulwark. Racism, contravention and brutality plague the cemented pale lit streets. The corruption of liberalism. This, is what Zahler has been striving for. Amalgamating the trademark violence of his previous features with a realistic environment that thematically conveys current societal politics, painting an increasingly apt and tense picture with enough splatter to replicate a Pollock masterpiece. If it wasn’t for the unnecessary elongated runtime, this may have been one of the best neo-noir thrillers this decade. It’s that good. A pair of racist police officers are suspended after “roughing up” a suspect, to which they quickly conform to desperation by following a group of criminals and confronting them in order to obtain the stolen money.
The simplicity behind concrete as a material, is its brute strengthened exterior. Solid. The foundations of the breathing city that is comprised of it. Zahler’s screenplay replicates the same properties with efficiency and realism. Splintering the narrative between a variety of paired characters, different in upbringing and race, but depicting the same mentality. Offering the perspective that everyone is equal in mind. The two suspended officers now conforming to desperation, ignoring their solemn duties as protectors, primarily focusing on crime. Two criminal drivers of differing ethnicity, assisting in the instigation of the crime, frequently doubting the escalating illegitimacy of their actions. Two pairs, juxtaposing in colour, but identical in spirit.
Zahler’s underlying exploration of racism is sharp. Incredibly poignant without resorting to heavy storytelling and opaque themes. Minuscule nuances, such as the drivers disguising themselves in white paint to reduce their chances of being confronted by police, highlight the intelligence of Zahler’s mind. Racism isn’t genetically embedded, it’s a product of environmental change.
Yet Zahler refuses to stop his thematic world-building there. Guilt is another aspect to criminality that further cement these brooding fatigued characters into the darkened city that they reside in. The officers, in particular Ridgeman as opposed to the younger and less experienced Lurasetti, suffer with less guilt than the criminals themselves. It contrasts the morality of these individuals perfectly. White officers who have been fortunate in life, negating the descent into criminality. The actual expendable criminals of black ethnicity, struggling with daily routines whilst being taunted by the city’s underbelly, realising the danger they are putting themselves. Toying with regret. The brief appearance of Summer, another meaty role for Carpenter, acts as the device that incites the guilt. The morality. The ethicality. In a thrilling symphony shrouded in noir aesthetics that resemble the shadowed doubts cast in the minds of the characters.
Cutthroat dialogue that cuts through even the thickest block of concrete. Dark humour embedded to further characterise the bonds of partnerships, particularly Ridgeman’s barrage of percentage likelihoods and Lurasetti’s “anchovies”. Elongated untouched scenes of conversations, food chewing and positional shootouts (that happens to be one of the most intense third acts this year).
Perfect casting choices across the board. Gibson encapsulating his real-life persona and shenanigans to produce a worn down and gravelled officer. Vaughn elegantly providing a reminder, with his astute comedic timing, of an aspirational officer being held back by his partner, but remains devoted to the bond. Zahler’s minimalistic yet provocative directing techniques ooze confidence and illustrates the brutality of his meticulous crafted narrative, including the prosthetic violence. The ambitious range of styles during the car following segments were instantly captivating. The ingenious lighting and shrouding mist escalating the humidity of the crime that is slowly being played out.
And yes, much like his other features, it is a slow-burner. The only problem with this, is that it really didn’t quantify its overextended runtime. Nearly three hours! By its conclusion, Zahler struggled to finalise the story by offering a handful of chances to abruptly satisfy the robbery. Yet, the further he descended, the softer the impact. A dire shame considering the intensity of its preceding events. A few various unfinished cuts between scenes and unprovoked time jumps which skews the pacing somewhat.
However a minor editing criticism in what is Zahler’s best film to date. He understood the brutalism of his characters and world. He provoked the morality and ethicality of his story. And he irrefutably fulfilled his promise of showcasing that trademark violence. If being dragged across concrete is this tantalising, then sign me up to the next construction job and commence the dragging!
