Television Director Brian Kirk’s maiden feature film “21 Bridges” is designed by amalgamating a pumped-up cop-versus-criminal chase and beat-the-clock crime thriller. It is slickly mounted, action-packed and dark. The tale unfurls one night in Manhattan.
The plot accelerates roughly after midnight when a planned drug heist involving two criminals — the dangerous one, portrayed by Taylor Kitsch, and a level headed one, played by Stephen James — goes awry.
It is perfectly evident that they have been set up. The criminals were told this would be a smalltime stickup, only to discover 300 kilos of high grade cocaine. It is also strange how quickly the police arrive and how aggressively they attempt to secure the property. So, in their bid to escape, the criminals kill eight police officers and escape in the dark.