I dont get why critics dont like it. It is a great movie with great action and good cast .

A movie like this should be rated on it's entertainment value, and this movie is brilliant. I don't understand why people don't like it? It is an all round superb movie, in fact i loved it so much i'm going to see it again. It was very emotional at some parts and shocking at others. No major issue stood out at me at all. I love that era and location in history and this movie was perfect for entertaining that.… Expand

If Gangster Squad was going to be released in September, then how come the movie pushed back to January 14? This isn't "L.A. Confidential 2.0." I'd say "Gangster Squad," how could you. I was really aware that the film was not just the violence, but the horrific tragedies in Aurora and Newtown. This is one of the most disappointing movies of 2013. Mediocre script, bad choices of picking gangster characters, poor acting. They f***ed up.… Expand

It's just a fun movie. I'm a sucker for gangster movies and history, and while at times this is over the top it's still a beautifully shot and decently acted film. Just go in with an open mind and don't be expecting "Goodfellas" and you'll enjoy yourself.

Really surprised this film has so many positive ratings. Sure, it's a great movie...that should be nominated for Best Picture at the Raspberry Awards. All flash and no substance, which is what the majority of Hollywood dishes out anyway. Minus the big name actors, this movie could go straight to Redbox and nobody would notice.

Writing about this movie, but avoiding spoilers, I will say that I'm baffled by the reviews stating it's mediocre or awful. I went into this movie expecting entertainment. Any film by the name of "Gangster Squad" is not expected to be highly storytellling. It's a classier version of a shoot-em-up. Great humor and subtle nuances made this film very entertaining. Josh Brolin, Sean Penn, and even in a quirky way Ryan Gosling all stood out with memorable acting. The only person that felt a little cut-and-dry was the one who played Brolin's character's wife (I'd throw that to the writing and not the actress herself). I honestly felt this movie was somewhat reminiscent of Dick Tracy, but less colorful. The action, the style, and the cinematography were all on point and the edit made to remove the Movie Theater scene (which delayed the movie's release in the first place) and replace it with something else is quite seamless. There were some surprise cast members that I didnt know were in the movie, but added very very well to the story. I give this movie an 8 out of 10 (would be 8.5 if it had the option) as there are some minor flaws and points where I feel it was rushed in some areas, but I thoroughly enjoyed it. I will buy the DVD when it is released and hopefully there is bonus footage, so it wont feel so rushed. Would recommend to friends and strangers alike. I'd say just watch with an open mind and not for the movie to be taken DRASTICALLY seriously, and just as a friday night flick.… Expand

On paper, and based on the preview, this is a movie that I absolutely should have loathed. Reminded me a bit of the old Warren Beatty / Madonna debacle Dick Tracy. Even as I enjoyed the first third or so, I expected the other shoe to drop. I was happy to be wrong. It's no LA Confidential, but I had a lot of fun with this film. The casting choices are solid (Robert Patrick and Michael Pena are terrific), it's exciting if not extremely profound or innovative in terms of storytelling, but with modest expectations, I think action fans and fans of the lead actors will get what they need out of it. It actually got a rather widespread round of applause in my somewhat film-snobby theater.… Collapse

Don't go into this expecting LA Confidential and you're half way towards enjoying a fun comic book style movie with over the top violence that is almost entirely stylish over any type of content. Reminded me a bit of Last Man Standing with Bruce Willis, although this is slightly more fleshed out, the action is well choreographed and the dialogue is macho more than meaningful. A lot of cool characters including Robert Patrick's bit as a gunslinger who just doesn't miss. Brolin and Gosling play their part to keep everything ticking over whilst Penn is maniacal as Cohen. This isn't a deep film, but it is a good old shoot em up with snappy one liners, cool characters and lots of style. Go to see it!… Expand

Gangster Squad provides exactly what I expected but also wanted. It has violence, tommy guns, cool suits, and a lot of attitude, which is precisely what a gangster flick should contain. The movie is a terrific throwback to the days when mobsters ran wild and had everyone eating out of the palm of their hand. Director Ruben Fleischer (Zombieland) shows no mercy when it comes to the characters getting their hands dirty. He tells a ferocious and foul tale based on true events, but balances it with some good old-fashioned fun and more humor than one might expect from a film like this. Fleischer creates a thrilling, stylish atmosphere and has a hell of a cast to bring such a flashy yet corrupted, dangerous time in our history to life.


Set in the City of Angels in 1949, boxing champ-turned-mobster Mickey Cohen (Sean Penn) is running the streets and owns just about everything and everyone in town. Cohen does not have his sights set on just one or two cities in California. He is way too greedy for that. He wants control over the entire state. While most just turn a blind eye, Police Chief Parker (Nick Nolte) wants to take Cohen down and get him out of his city. But he knows he cannot do it within the confinements of the law so he brings in a war hero turned cop named John O… Expand

I really enjoyed this movie from beginning to end. It COULD'VE been an epic movie like other gangster movies in the past, but sadly it's only 1 1/2 hours long. I think this movie should've been a 3 hour epic, or nearly 3 hours...and more story-focused. But I thoroughly enjoyed it and will be watching it again tomorrow.

This film has received many bad reviews, but not because it's a bad movie. The truth is it's just not what people expected it to be. When you hear about a mafia movie, you expect an epic, inside look like with Goodfellas or Casino, but Gangster Squad is from the cops point of view and more like The Untouchables. Gangster Squad is based on a novel and is about an off the books LAPD operation aimed at bringing down Micky Cohen. In the 1940s, LA had a growing mafia problem on it's hands, and Mickey Cohen was set to become the next Al Capone. Unbeknownst for decades, the LAPD sent a group of cops, who didn't play by the book, after Cohen and by going after his business interests, they attempt to destroy his growing empire. The story is a great one, well deserving of a film adaptation, but what people didn't like was how it turned into an action film. This story has all the makings of an epic mafia drama, an you will be hard pressed to find a better performance than the one Sean Penn gives as Mickey Cohen. It was somewhat disappointing that they didn't get more into Cohen and his operation, but for what it was, it was a great film. As for the cast, it features some of Hollywood's best an brightest as old school meets the up and coming stars of the big screen. Every one from the stars to the ancillary characters give Oscar worthy performances that will be sadly overlooked. because of the nature of the film. If you're looking for a classic mob drama, you're going to be disappointed, but if you want to see an action packed cop movie with a mob element, then Gangster Squad is the film for you.… Expand

Amazing movie .

"Gangster Squad" is a thoroughly enjoyable crime noir flick, resplendent in its violence but lacking in emotional depth. Sean Penn shines in what is otherwise a forgettable film.

A pulpy action throwback that effortlessly achieves its goal to entertain thanks to a top-shelf cast, dazzling direction, and a fast-paced screenplay chock-full of snappy 1940s-style patter.

Great cinematography, but the film itself leaves a lot to be desired, more style less substance. There are a lot of things this movie gets right, but from a narrative perspective, it isn't very strong. Sean Penn, cinematography and the shootouts are the true stars of the film

This movie deserves it's mediocre reviews. The start scene involving the chief over dramatized, the scene with Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling horrible and trying to be dramatic. Why are cops attacking the mob with standard handguns? I like the whole the war is over that sentence and theme was repetitive. Don't pay for this film I had such high hopes, especially with the cast. But it's just a let down.… Expand

This movie is fantastic. Ton of blood, action, and suspense. If you like those types of movies, than Gangster Squad is for you. Right from the beginning, the movie had my attention.

Pure garbage. It's a mystery how this cast agreed to such a poorly-designed premise. The result amounts to a complete waste of time. Watch something else.

This is definitely a good movie, which I really enjoyed watching. The story is quite okay, and fits the era very good. The characters are all decent at least. Good guy O

In 1949 Hollywood, a gangster from New York (Sean Penn) muscles his way into the West Coast crime syndicates. To bring him down, a renegade cop (Josh Brolin) assembles a team of outsiders (including Ryan Gosling). This is a time when everybody smoked and women were called "tomatoes." This film's elegant period style and suave, snappy dialogue verge on parody, but director Rubin Fleischer manages to keep a sense of fun, while loading it with plenty of fights (fists and guns). The performances are enjoyable and the pacing never lags. While this isn't exceptional in any way, it's still thoroughly entertaining.… Expand

You've seen Goodfellas, Scarface and LA Confidential? Then you've seen Gangster Squad. All cliches and no substance, the best thing in it are the cars.

LA Confidential highlighted the fall of Mickey Cohen as a decision made out of greed and corruption within the police force. Gangster Squad argues the opposite, that Cohen failed because of the righteous and the honourable, even if their methods turn out to be questionable. What is ultimately an action film, Gangster Squad delves into the Cohen era but rarely tries to say anything meaningful in favor of the tongue in cheek actioner the studio clearly envisioned. The film opens to Mickey (Sean Penn) owning LA, much to the chagrin of the police commissioner (Nick Nolte). Therefore he sets up an off the book squad of officers with one goal, the destruction of Cohen's criminal organisation, by any means necessary. The film does play like a poor mans untouchables and doesn't hold a candle to the masterpiece that is LA Confidential but Gangster Squad is a solid action romp across the city of angels with a group of actors clearly having a whale of a time. Josh Brolin leads the titular squad with his charming everyman shtick, Michael Pena and Robert Patrick make a great odd couple pair of gunslingers and Sean Penn camps it up the the extreme as Cohen but the charm of the film lies with Ryan Gosling who plays a cop who thinks hes too smart to play cop and get involved. Gosling impresses with the choices he makes for the character and his chemistry with leading lady (if her limited presence warrants the leading part) Emma Stone, although that was already proven by Crazy Stupid Love. Stone herself doesn't really have much to do and therefore doesn't stand out but she's serviceable at least and has a classic noir quality to her. The downside to the film is that it is just a by the book actioner with a workable but not amazing director who doesn't really try to impress. A car chase halfway through the picture is shoddy and highlights the flaws in the direction although a shootout in Chinatown impresses in the moment. The script however is playful and entertaining meaning the character interactions pop. The film ultimately lives in the shadow of other great gangster films and never really lives up to their pedigree but as an action flick it entertains for its run time, just don't try and recount the events of the film a week after seeing it, you might just find you honestly can't remember them.… Expand

You can look at this two different ways. As a movie, its fine. It's got gun fights, slow motion, fist fights and car chases. On the other hand, it's supposed to be inspired by the story of the real gangster squad. In a recent article, John O'Mara's granddaughter was interviews to hear about he legend behind the man. She quoted her mother as saying "They used their brains, not bullets" and went further on to explain that violence sells, so violence wins. Her mother also said that her O'Mara fired his gun once in his career, and it was a warning shot.

So where does this leave us with the ultra violent, hero cop hurrah? in the middle, which is why I gave this movie a 5. I'm a huge film noir buff. I love everything from Bogart in The Maltese Falcon all the way to Pearce Crowe in L.A. confidential. This movie falls short in being a caricature of a golden era, and doesn't do the men justice who helped put Cohen away. It's still a decent movie, and I'm not squeamish towards violence (as long as it has its place). That said, all the style, violence and charisma this movie has still leaves me a bit uneasy knowing the white washing the characters went through to make them square jawed, all American heroes. This movie would have done better with less action and more truth.… Expand

This ho hum gangster flick has one of the greatest pedigree in recent months, but has no ambition. Great actors? Check. An acclaimed director? Check. What you have though is simply a straight up action film. nothing more. If you want a more visceral and greater take of this 'rogue cops vs gangsters' sub genre, than look up 'The Untouchables'.

Gangster Squad was a really good movie. The cast is fantastic and they all deliver flawlessly. Josh Brolin and Sean Penn counter one another perfectly and the supporting cast of Ryan Gosling, Emma Stone, Anthony Mackie, and so many more all fill key roles. The plot and characters were both developed really well also. There were a few plot holes that can be explained through assumptions but pretty weak ones. That and some of the action sequences, especially early on, is what held the film back. Ultimately I think that's the cause for the lower ratings. I don't think a lot of these "experts" actually watch entire films if they don't like how they start and this movie starts slowly. Once it gets going though, it's a really enjoyable film. And it has freaking Emma Stone in a little red dress, that should be enough reason to watch. In all seriousness though, it's a solid movie that most people were probably enjoy.… Expand

Gangster shoot'em-up movie (with almost no shooting in the first hour), which feels like a mix of short scenes from various, unrelated films. It has a great cast that never manages to meet the expectations, great setting that is never really explored, and mediocre attempts to create deeper characters that fail miserably in a mish-mash of cliches.

Not that good of a movie. Good cast of actors but none of them are put to good use. Dialogue is often very generic and straight forward, The plot is also very generic and at times predictable. Features a few odd attempts at humor which had no business being in this movie, Especially when it's suppose to be an action movie filled with gangsters and brutal murders. The action scenes themselves were nothing special either. Overall, Just another over hyped film that simply fails to live up to it's potential.… Expand

I couldn't tell if the scenes and dialogue were meant to be a little tongue-in-cheek or sincere. It felt almost comical in places, like the director was winking at us and saying "don't take it too seriously." But that sense was so uneven as to make me believe it wasn't intentional. I liked the story line: the depiction of a group of anonymous lawmen who go after an omnipotent gangster and the corrupted city officials under his control. I actually enjoyed the movie despite its flaws. I think that may be because the art direction, cinematography, and excellent acting compensated for the predictable story telling and the over the top earnestness of the screenplay and directing. It was enjoyable to watch. I wouldn't recommend it except with caveats.… Expand

I really like it .

I was excited when I saw the previews for this one but very disappointed. Reminded me of Boardwalk Empire but without the good characters and twists of storyline. If it wasn't for Sean Penn's character/effort I would have turned this off before it was 30 minutes into the film. Credit the set design and costume design as it was easy to believe the scenery. But, if that is the best thing I can say about the movie (other than Sean Penn) maybe that is enough said!… Expand

Good acting, time period cars, clothes and firearms seemed peroid correct. However, the production and directing of this movie is where it loses me. If you got 8 bucks to blow and less than 2 hours to kill go for it, other wise see something else

What went wrong? I saw the trailers for Gangster Squad and thought that this looks right up my street. Good collection of actors Penn, Gosling, Brolin tied to some lovely art design (I'm a sucker for 1940's America). This should be a great or at least decent slice of the cinema cake. Sadly, it's all frosting. When a film starts with a guy being ripped in half by 2 cars and another guy getting his hand ripped off by a lift, you may be expecting a gritty film. But Gangster Squad is all gloss and the violence, far from being helpful, detracts because its so comical. Think Sin City, but without the subtlety. It sets the scene for an film with a very uneven tone (is it character ensemble, action film, comic book, historical?) and a script that is so simple it would make the A-team look deep. With a gaping plot hole that is signposted miles away. There's very little to recommend here beyond the visuals. The characters are so cliche that the actors cant do any justice with them (Penn could well be basing his character on villains from Dick Tracy) and the twists have so little swerve that you know where the film is going long before you get there. There's nothing original here and nothing to keep you interested. A shame.… Expand

I really, really enjoyed this movie. Excellent acting, and pace. Unlike many movies today, it was not "too long" the script was clean. Sean Penn was ferocious and very scary. I hope he wins an Oscar.
Good comedic relief also. My expectations were fully met.

A movie that tries to be a compelling film noir, but is held down by its direction,

This movie has a nice cast, good visual effects, nice operator's work and a great atmosphere of post-WWII Los Angeles. The entourage reminded me of a video game LA Noire. To describe a genre: it isn't a criminal drama it's a gangster style action movie. A nice one to watch it once.

Nitty and gritty. Lots of very clever dialogue. More style than accuracy but this is intentional. Plenty of blood and stars. With all the stars and testosterone in this movie I have to describe it as The Expendables for 1940's gangster movie fans. If this is what you want then you will not be disappointed. I only gave it a 7 out of 10 since I pretty much had the plot figured out as the movie ran along and got a tad bit tired as the movie came to a close.… Expand

If there was one movie in 2012 that I was most excited to see, it was Gangster Squad. The trailer had a distinct visual style that impressed me at the time, the cast could not have been any better, and it looked like a fun gangster film that would also be a great addition to the genre itself. Then when it was delayed to 2013 for re-shoots after the Aurora, Colorado shootings I was disappointed to have to wait until 2013 for this movie. Well, I… Expand

This is a perfect noir genre film it has grit and nails, and doesn't try to weigh you down with lofty ideals or convoluted nonsense. And I am a fan of lofty ideals and convoluted nonsense. Not everything needs to be a perfect thinkpiece about violence especially when it comes to a gangster film. Detractors would probably feel the same about a Western film or a Kung Fu flick. It has its fans and that it who the film was made for. I understand why people would not like it but I don't care for Michael Bay flicks either so I go out of my way to avoid them. Smarter that way.… Expand

I didn't know what to expect when I considered seeing this film--I was worried that there would be too much action and try to be something that it shouldn't. Gangster Squad is a heavily cliched film which does almost everything right. Are cliches all that bad? I don't think they are. A good introduction to all of the characters is key for this kind of film. The antagonist played by Sean Penn blew my mind and made me enjoy every moment he was on screen. Only problem I noticed with the introduction is that it drags on for longer than it needed to do so--taking up too much of a film which could have been longer. The mind-set needed to watch this film is that of what the classic gangster films used to be like. It's a classically designed and cliche gangster film which blew me away and only just misses out on the perfect score due to length.… Expand

Can't help but think that critics have an agenda. This is a really good movie. I really liked the way it was stylized and filmed. It is a bit funny sometimes but a great experience through and through. Shall watch it again. Highly recommended.

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Gangster Squad has a great style and some great actors; unfortunately the writing keeps it from being so much more than it could've been. When coming into this film I expected to be bored to death, but the film is actually very entertaining and fun which will please many audience members. There is a lot of violence and action that made this feel like a mix of

Overall, a pretty good gangster movie. The whole feel of the movie is spot on and Sean Penn's role as Mickey Cohen definitely delivered. Pacing can be a bit of a problem. Writing isn't Gangster Squad's strong suit, as the movie can become predictable to some.

The movie itself its entertaining but nothing for the ages. Sean Penn is atrocious in my opinion. But I do think Ryan Gosling did a good job. Emma Stone and Brolin where decent too.

It was a nice movie, sure, it does not have great dialog or great acting but it was quite entertaining. I'm picky with the use of my free time, and I must say I had a great time. Maybe in terms of a good movie from a art point of view it would deserve like 4.5 but taking the entertainment value it would be a 7.

The movie fails to entertain period.
The story-line is a seen it a million times before and it was done better.
Characters are unbelievable, uninspiring and dull
There are mediocre special effects thrown in hear and there like car chases and fist/gun fights.
All in all do not recommend to anyone but people who have absolutely nothing else to do.

A decent movie overall. The movie basically about cop vengeance on criminals in Los Angeles. Main character/actor was pretty good and main bad guy/actor was pretty good as well. But the other cast members sucked. Theres a decent amount of action scenes mixed in with some drama and thriller moments. But the movie just didn't excelled at any particular area that drew interest from me. Its a good guy always wins type of movie, just to point out. Title is a bit misleading..… Expand

The rapidly expanding Los Angeles of the 1940s and 50s the time when the aeronautics industry was becoming prominent, the freeway system being built, Disneyland was launched and the Chicago and east coast mob was moving in on Nevada and southern California has become a favourite subject of the period crime film these past 20 years. It began with Barry Levinson's Bugsy, set in this new criminal milieu, and Lee Tamahori's Mulholland Falls, which centred on the ruthless cops hired to tackle these largely Jewish newcomers (known as the "Kosher Nostra"). It continued with two films based on James Ellroy's fact-based novels, LA Confidential and The Black Dahlia. The vicious New York gangster and former featherweight boxer Mickey Cohen came west via Chicago, sent by Murder Inc's Meyer Lansky to assist Ben "Bugsy" Siegel. In Bugsy, Cohen was on his way up in the mid-1940s and impersonated by Harvey Keitel, and in LA Confidential, when at his 50s peak, by Paul Guilfoyle. In the naive, heavy-handed, handsomely designed Gangster Squad, he's played as a preening, psychopathic monster by Sean Penn. We first see him using two cars to tear a Chicago interloper in two behind the "Hollywoodland" sign, thus establishing him as the monster who's corrupting the pure, law-abiding Los Angeles. The film is virtually a cross between those 1970s thrillers in which Vietnam veterans return home to clean up their tarnished homeland and Brian De Palma's The Untouchables, where Kevin Costner's Eliot Ness recruits an elite band of cops to break Al Capone's stranglehold hold on prohibition Chicago.… Expand

An unfortunate waste of such great talent. This is just an average film still entertaining, but really lacks when it comes to the script and the tone.

This film had the potential to be one of the great gangster films of this century. Unfortunately it did not exceed this expectation. The plot was outstanding, the cast was good, what could go wrong? To be frank, a lot went wrong. This film is not worth the watch and i am glad it hasn't won any Oscars.

IN MY OPINION **MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS** by CtheTav What can I say about this film? The plot of Gangster squad was so predictable every twist can be seen well before it happens, particularly groan worthy was the ambush in Chinatown. The plot isn't the reason to watch this film however. It's a period action film through and through with fantastic action throughout. Whether it's the Slow-Mo over the top gun fighting or the violent fisticuffs, it kept my eyes glued to the screen the whole time. The voice-over monologue was a bit heavy handed but was dropped a few minutes so that was okay. I think my favourite part was the car chase with the heroin truck which was very fun to watch. Sadly the forgettable characters let this film down as none of the actors deserve to read the dialogue lazily written for them, a shame really as this film could have been brilliant if not for the story. Rating- 7 out of 10 Good action, predictable and stale plot… Expand

Wow. How some people can rate this movie high goes beyond my imagination. But lets tell why this movie is just a disaster. A historically interesting story is turned into an avalanche of clichés, probably a candidate to one of the biggest considering the cast. Acting, despite this star cast, is absolutely terrible. Story is unlogical and the ending is just one enormous pile of clichécrap. . I honestly felt like demanding my money back from seeing this at the cinema. If you want to see a gangster movie from the era, there are plenty of good options. This one is just horrible.… Expand

I love 1930s 1950s gangster movies! Everything about them is awesome, This movie has a lot of great actors, good special effects, a lot of great scenes, and a good story. And just because I love gangster movies, 10/10

Gangster squad directed by Fleischer, a really bad movie, almost ridiculous, the director can not make a gangster film, stereotypical characters, in short, the movie is crap boring haphazard.