This gritty undercover cop mystery has all the best elements of the B movies from its era, plays them straight, and combines them with an enticing story, which elevates the style above the calibre of movies it's usually associated with. As such, the film comes across more nostalgic than dated. I was quickly drawn into this original story, and it held me until the end. The only obvious weak link is the unconvincing romantic subplot between the main character and one of the suspects.