As a cinematographer and director, Ernest Dickerson makes quite the mastermind. His blockbuster Surviving the Game continues to hold strong. Meanwhile, the no less action-packed Ambushed establishes a potent racial divide.

The opening sequence proves instantly effective as Ku Klux Klan member Jim Natter (William Sadler) arrives at a meeting only to be gunned down. Hiding nearby, Natter’s son Eric (Jeremy Lelliott) could be a potential witness. However, the latter seems just as bigoted as the old man. This leads to some tension between him and cop Jerry Robinson (Courtney B. Vance). A broken family has left Jerry with only his work and the support of fellow officer Lucy Monroe (Virginia Madsen) for recompense. Yet he soon discovers the depth of corruption inside his own department.

Kudos to Dickerson for making a story based around an unlikeable witness. In Ambushed, references to ethnic cleansing and Adolf Hitler reveal further brainwashing. During Lelliot’s first scene opposite Vance, a low camera angle emphasizes the boy’s Nazi salute. Adding to which, adults that uphold “White Power” philosophies descend from a long line of fearful, ignorant and sadistic ancestors. As of this writing, the problem still persists.

Casting the surest thing,

Ambushed packs plenty of bling.

Held enthral for the entirety,

socially relevant in perpetuity.

Racism, corruption, the classic double cross.

Intense work from Courtney B. Vance.

Many to recommend in this cast.

From Virginia Madsen to Charles Hallahan, treasures seem vast.

It’s not only about those that fell.

Ambushed finds director Ernest Dickerson on a roll.

Classy tunes from the late Terry Plumeri

creating emotions far from temporary.

(Released by HBO Video; rated "R" for violence and language.)