Three stars (R)
Denzel Washington, Russell Crowe

Based on fact (loosely) story from Ridley Scott (Gladiator) about a drug kingpin (Washington) with a strong sense of propriety and the cop (Crowe) trying to bring him down. The production is well-assembled and interesting, but to be epic in scope as well as length, a film needs a sense of electricity, and American Gangster lacks that crucial spark. 157 minutes. DVD INFO: The two-disc set includes the theatrical release of the film along with an unrated extended version, a commentary track by director Scott and writer Steven Zaillian and a number of featurettes. A three-disc deluxe edition is also available.