Stringers

While the stars of action plots are often lawmen or spies, this time a couple of loose-cog Los Angeles-based videographers come into focus. The sensible Paul plus wild card Nick make an unlikely freelance team who churn out network-worthy city crisis footage despite interpersonal squabbling and edge-bending driving, earning grudging respect from hard-ass news boss Michelle. But when the team blunders into a covert deal between drug dealers and cops—or are they?—both sides want the duo's evidence and their hides. Writer/producer Guggenheim (Arrow) crafts the dialog with up-yours snark, more than matched by Greenwood's (The Fuse) well-designed, kinetic grittiness. Greenwood pulls major drama from the high-octane car chases, and his facial work dramatizes the dark humor of the characters. Hill's color choices—tans through reds, adding blues for certain settings—keep the action striking and clear. For a change, the novel's sound effects are run-on descriptive phrases such as "BallsOutChaseAt90MPH" rather than onomatopoetic standbys such as "VRROOOM."