Samuel L. Jackson’s action thriller CRUSHMore than two decades after its release, it is finding a new audience on streaming platforms.
The 2003 film has skyrocketed into the top five titles on the free streaming platform Tubi, recently landing at No. 4 on the service’s trending list, proving that classic action movies can still generate huge buzz years later.
Released in the summer of 2003, CRUSH Jackson starred as veteran LAPD Sgt. Dan “Hondo” Harrelson alongside Colin Farrell, who played Officer Jim Street.
The film marked a big-screen adaptation of the original Aaron Spelling-produced television series that debuted in 1975, shortly after the Los Angeles Police Department formed its real-life Special Weapons and Tactics unit.
While the original show only lasted two seasons before being canceled amid growing concerns about violence on television, its influence remained for decades.
Plans for a film adaptation emerged in the late 1990s, with several high-profile directors attached at different stages.
The film eventually became the directorial debut of actor Clark Johnson, with a screenplay written by David Ayer and David McKenna.
The film also featured Jeremy Renner, Michelle Rodriguez, LL Cool J, Josh Charles, Brian Van Holt and Olivier Martinez.
Made with a budget of 70 million dollars, CRUSH It grossed $207 million worldwide, achieving a strong box office performance despite mixed critical reception and a 48% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
Its financial success led to the release of two sequels in 2011 and 2017, neither of which featured the original cast.
The franchise later returned to television in 2017, with Shemar Moore taking on the role of Hondo for a CBS reboot that ran for eight seasons.
A new spin-off, SWAT: ExilesIt is also in development.
Now, with his renewed popularity on Tubi, CRUSH reminds viewers why Samuel L. Jackson’s commanding presence and the film’s high-stakes action still resonate, even 23 years after its debut.
