A gripping 2000s action movie that fans believe is clearly inspired by the Die Hard series is now streaming on Prime Video. The film, simply titled SWAT, was originally released in 2003 and has recently been added to the streaming giant's offering.
The movie, based on the 1970s television series of the same name, follows a Los Angeles police Special Weapons and Tactics team. The plot centres on team leader Hondo Harrelson, who recruits Jim Street after a botched job. Together, they build a team of misfits, including Deke Kay and Chris Sanchez, tasked with escorting a French crime boss to prison. When the criminal offers a $100 million reward to anyone who frees him, the team must run a gauntlet of dangerous criminals, including a traitor in their own ranks.
The film features an ensemble cast that was relatively unknown at the time but has since become household names, including Samuel L Jackson, Colin Farrell, LL Cool J, and Michelle Rodriguez, with appearances from Octavia Spencer and Jeremy Renner. Despite mixed reviews from critics, SWAT was a box office success, grossing over $200 million worldwide, and later inspired a television revival in 2017 starring Shemar Moore.
Fans have praised the film, with one calling it 'probably one of the best action films you will ever see' and another describing it as a 'terrific action movie from a cast of yet to be known Class A movie stars'. Even those who view it as a 'perfect popcorn movie' acknowledge its Die Hard influences.
