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Issue date: 10/3/08 Section: Weekender

Samuel L. Jackson can still whip your ass, even if his name is Abel. That's his role in the decent, yet predictable Lakeview Terrace, where Jackson plays a jerk of an LAPD cop who has a problem with the interracial marriage between his new neighbors.

"I'm the police, you have to do what I say," Jackson makes known to Chris and Lisa, the new lovebirds.

The conflict escalates ? of course ? and Jackson takes pleasure in intimidating the neighbors as much as he can, like when he greets Chris at his car and demands his wallet, pretending to be a petty thief.

The movie isn't terrible, but it's not good either, and the predictability that emerges as the film goes on hurts the excitement factor.

This seems to be the kind of role Jackson has settled into in recent years. He gets to play the tough guy, but in doing so settles for scripts that are a bit lacking.

We miss the afro-sporting, (illegal) gun-toting Sam Jackson from Pulp Fiction, when he was doing some serious ass-whipping. Go rent Snakes On A Plane again.

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