'Cops and Robbers': It's Between the Brothers

Actor/martial artist Michael Jai White and actor/MMA legend Quinton "Rampage" Jackson square off in "Cops and Robbers" (out 12/12 on DVD and Digital), a bank heist thriller with a twist. They're joined by Tom Berenger, the "Sniper" himself, playing a senior police official who oversees White.

White is a cop who returns to work after taking time off caused by an officer-involved shooting. He's called to a hostage situation at the scene of a bank robbery and soon learns that the criminal crew is led by his own brother, played by Jackson.  

We've got a scene from the movie as Jackson confronts a bank manager at the beginning of the heist. Against all logic, he pushes the button that sets off the alarm that calls the cops to the bank.

The movie sets up as a confrontation between brothers with a shared dark history, but things aren't exactly what they seem. 

"Cops and Robbers" definitely has straight-to-video production values, but fans of White and Jackson get a chance to see them in roles where they're acting and not relying on their martial arts skills to carry the movie. 

The twists aren't obvious and the plot is more complicated and ambitious than your average 21st-century Steven Seagal movie. Spike Lee's classic "Inside Man" is an obvious inspiration. Neither actor is going to get a role in the next Clint Eastwood or Steven Spielberg movie, but their fans will enjoy this one.