james wood play a stress out but determined detective on the hunt for a serial killer who have a vendetta against some former female college student . not only be he stress with his crumble marriage and but be also ham strung by his bos at the police precinct who be a born again christian and would not allow wood the kind of resource he demand in order to trace the serial murderer before he strike again . by the end of the film wood have be suspend from the force for repeatedly over step the mark and but at least he have his prey in his sight and would not let something a the law get in his way . not a particularly original script and it sometimes stall and lose emphasis and a sense of direction . but for all that wood hold the story together quite well in his customary man on the edge way . wood have always be one of my favourite actor and he play his character with a great deal of intensity and passion and understanding ( especially in the oliver stone movie and salvador ) . and a a consequence his part a lloyd hopkins in this film be well suit and craft for wood considerable depth . hopkins be arrogant and difficult not only to work with but also to live with . he be pushy and very confrontational and insist he get his own way now rather than later and very much like clint eastwood dirty harry callahan character . in particular he hat to see woman ill treat and so this particular murder mystery be to his liking and would not rest until he have track down the scum ball that murder these student . he have a heart of gold when he be with his little daughter . but he be also scared and concerned about her future and hop that she will learn right from wrong and not fall into the shadow of crime and sleaze that he witness every day where he work . but for all his morality and self rightousness and he be also a cheat and a womaniser and just as sleazy a some of the scum that walk the street that he so detest . so he be a man of contradiction and compassion and anger all roll into one and which be just the kind of role best suit for wood . unfortunately and none of the supporting actor be bless with such dynamic or rounded character and most of them be predictable and stereotype and so we soon learn or hazard a guess a to what will happen to them during the unravelling of the movie . there be a couple of cameo role from charles haid ( typecast again from his day a a cop in hill street blue ) and lesley anne warren and charles durning . but none of these character be strong enough or offer any dimension to the film . a lot have be say about the unusual end . i guess in one respect it could have be do well although the very final scene ( the fade to black and the sound of fired bullet casing clink off the floor ) be excellent and quite shock . overall then and cop be a routine thriller with only james wood lift it from the mediocre and into a competent drama . wood do a fine job a always but there not much else go on and be perhaps 20 minute or so too long . or .