Phil Broker is a former DEA agent who has gone through a crisis after his actions against a biker gang went horribly wrong and it cost the life of his bosses son. He is recently widowed and is left with a 9 year old daughter, Maddy. He decides to quit the turbulent and demanding life of thrill for Maddy's sake and retires to a small town. His daughter fights off a boy who is bullying her at school, and this sets in motion a round of events that end in his direct confrontation with the local Meth drug lord. His past history with the biker gang also enters the arena, making matters more complex. But he has a mission in his mind to protect his daughter and he is ready to pay any cost that it demands. A former DEA agent moves his family to a quiet town, where he soon tangles with a local meth druglord. Director Gary Fleder seems to be on Autopilot here in this Lackluster and Familiar Film with Jason Statham Delivering the Kicks and Punches and Smoldering Athleticism that is Expected. But the Movie is Uninspired Despite some Cartoonish Side Characters that are Mildly Interesting.<br/><br/>Winona Ryder, Kate Bosworth, and New Kid Actor Izabela Vidovic (what a name!) all Females of Course, Ironically Lend a bit of Pizazz as the Male Actors just kind of show up with not much Gusto. The Worst is A-List James Franco that is not up to the Task of the Role and is Miscast and is Weak and Unthreatening and Looks at Times to be Constipated and Bored.<br/><br/>The Sly Stallone Script is of No Great Concern because it is Formulaic and Familiar to the Point of Numbing Comfortableness. The Film just goes from one Scene to Another with barely enough Momentum to get it to the Predictable and Unremarkable End. The Meth Lab Blowing Up in the Background does not even Distract the Characters in the Foreground as if they were Unaware that the Cliché would be Inserted in Post Production.<br/><br/>Overall, it is Worth a Watch for Statham Fans and Action Junkies and Delivers the Required Body Count of Scum, but the Weak Direction from a Usually "on his game" Fleder is Disappointing. Easily the worst movie I ever watched, and I typically enjoy Statham's movies. Every redneck cliché known to mankind was tossed in like a pot of bad stew. You couldn't set out to make a movie this bad and succeed. If you have two hours to waste do something more exciting like watching water evaporate. Why does Hollywood think every small town in America is filled with idiot rednecks who have nothing better to do than pick fights with anyone not their cousin? Understand the need for conflict and resolution, but I swear there is no creativity left in Hollywood. Just one dusty old ideal that never seems to die. I watched this same movie in the 70s when it was called Billy Jack. What sounds like a veritable B-movie wet dream — with that master of the subzero scowl, Jason Statham, starring in a screenplay written by Sylvester Stallone — turns out to be considerably less than the sum of its parts.
Glynnrea replied
295 weeks ago