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Bill Duke was more than just "that black guy from Predator" after directing a number of crime dramas in the 1990s. Sandwiched in-between A Rage in Harlem and Hoodlum came Deep Cover, which showcased the early talents of Laurence Fishburne (Boyz N The Hood, The Matrix).

Fishburne plays cop Russell Stevens, who is assigned to go undercover and bring down an elite group of cocaine dealers (one of which is played by Jeff Goldblum, in a surprisingly convincing performance). The dividing line that separates catching a criminal and becoming one soon becomes blurred: Stevens finds himself under orders to develop a criminal persona by dealing drugs on the street and avoiding suspicion from the law just to catch those primarily responsible. The character, however, finds himself deeply torn between the two worlds and soon becomes mentally traumatised.

Lawrence's narration is what really separates Deep Cover from the usual, routine stuff of similar movies: The audience can actually believe, and relate, to moral dilemmas of Fishburne's character, and begin to sympathise with him. Goldblum, on the other hand, possesses an innocent, suave personality, making him a memorable villain in an already impressive roster of cinematic drug dealers.

For 1992 there's no doubt that Deep Cover was an influential film of its time; latter films that dealt with a similar topic of blaxploitation included New Jack City and In Too Deep and seemed to take inspiration from this. Overall, it's an unsettling yet compelling story of the criminal underworld that still ranks up there as one of the best in the long catalogue of entries in the genre.

(C) Andy Carrington, 2009.