When VH-1 begins its retro series I Love the 70s next week, the television series S.W.A.T. will get a minimal mention at best. Yet here it is, the inspiration for yet another mindless action film. And while S.W.A.T. does manage to be mildly passable, it lacks anything that makes it stand out in a parade of summer blockbusters. The film opens with Jim Street (Colin Farrell) as a member of the Los Angeles Special Weapons And Tactics unit (S.W.A.T. for short). But Streets tenure is put in jeopardy when his partner makes a bad judgment call and injures a civilian in the process. Street is reassigned to the gun room, but gets a second chance by Dan Harrelson (Samuel L. Jackson), a former S.W.A.T. leader asked to return and clean up the unit. The result is more of a series of action sequences than an actual linear plot. Director Clark Johnson stages the usual cop play-by-play the bank robbery, the training scenes, even the subway chase with mediocre results. The film aimlessly wanders along, until a finale involving the S.W.A.T. team and an imprisoned drug kingpin (Oliver Martinez), who offers a huge cash reward to the person who can break him out, a scenario that begets a very weighty final third of the film. S.W.A.T. actually gets more mileage out of its characters than the action scenes, thanks largely in part to its talented cast. Jackson can play the old veteran in his sleep now, while Farrell continues to add to his resume as a credible action star. There is also some solid work from L.L. Cool J and Michelle Rodriguez, who for my money may well be the sexiest tough girl in all of Hollywood. Only Martinez fails to leave any impression, mainly since its apparent that the French actors English hasnt gotten any better than it was in last years Unfaithful. I give Johnson and screenwriter Ron Mita credit for trying to keep the film credible, but its still not enough to recommend the picture. The fact is, despite all the explosions and pulsating music in the score, S.W.A.T. feels as dated as a 1970s TV series, making the end result a mildly entertaining, but absolutely forgettable, movie-going experience. Sportswriter/movie reviewer Micheal Compton may be reached for comment at mcompton@bgdailynews.com. But he may be busy playing the That 70s Show board game, so be patient.