Cop flick guilty of mediocrity

This is another action flick for Harrison Ford, and yet it dulls in comparison to his previous works such as "The Fugitive" or the "Indiana Jones" series. "Hollywood Homicide" attempts to deviate from the usual suspenseful action film by being an action comedy that delves more into the personal lives of two detectives. But it ends up being less than suspenseful and lacking in focus due to an overload of subplots. \nJoe Gavilan (Harrison Ford) and K. C. Calden (Josh Hartnett) are two LAPD cops investigating the murders of an up-and-coming rap group. Both characters are moonlighting in other fields, Gavilan as a real estate agent and Calden as a yoga instructor and inspiring actor. Sartain (Isaiah Washington), the slain rappers' label owner, is suspected of organizing the murders. \nThe movie is too centered on the personal lives of these two detectives and other surrounding subplots. Gavilan and Calden are so caught up in their personal lives that they don't seem to be too concerned with doing much actual detective work. They are continuously answering their cell phones during car chases and shootings -- very inappropriate times to further their side careers. \n"Hollywood Homicide" is low both on action and comedy. Action scenes such as a getaway paddleboat and Ford peddling a little girl's bicycle are more humorous than nail-bitingly exciting. Although the plot is predictable, the movie is not completely without laughs. But much of the comedy comes from Hartnett and Ford behaving ridiculously and making idiots of themselves as policemen. \nThe film also lacks suspense because the audience is clued into the killers' identities toward the beginning of the movie. Audience members merely wait for Gavilan and Calden to solve the mystery, whilst trying to focus on their personal lives. \nThe director, Ron Shelton, is a former baseball player who has previously directed five sports flicks ("Bull Durham" and "White Men Can't Jump," among others) and another similar cop movie (the recent "Dark Blue"). Maybe he should have stuck to sports flicks, because this one lacks much direction or amusement.