Narc just another tough cop story

Nick Tallis (Jason Patric) is an undercover narcotics officer who accidentally shoots a pregnant woman while trying to apprehend a junkie. The woman loses the baby and he loses his badge.

Eighteen months later his bosses offer him his job back, but first he must find the killer of another narc agent, Michael Calvess.

At times Narc feels like a feature-length version of NYPD Blue, with the hand-held camera work, occasional graphic violence, convoluted conversations about police procedure and a colourful supporting cast of drug dealers and criminals (including rapper Busta Rhymes).

But writer/director Joe Carnahan manages to package these traditional elements with gripping aplomb.

Action, 18 **