This movie so desperately wants to be taken seriously but the story
however is lacking the right content and isn't as tight or clever as it
believes it is.
Besides, the movie feels needlessly messy with its story. Even while there really isn't all that much to its story, in terms of originality and true creativity, it still seems to have a hard time focusing on one thing at the same time. Is the main-story more about Det. Callahan's (Stephen Dorff) past, or is it one that's more about the cases he's currently involved with? Of course in the end it all turns out to be related, which shouldn't turn out to be a surprise to anyone but it still lets the storytelling feel messy and needlessly complicated.
It doesn't help that the movie constantly keeps changing directions. It picks up certain plot lines and drops them, just as fast again. This is also being part of the reason why the movie doesn't feel all that well focused.
It's hard to truly stay involved with this movie really. It doesn't ever grab you, with its story, characters or any of its developments. It just isn't all that interesting to watch, though I still wouldn't call this a horrible movie as well though.
It's a typical crime-thriller-drama, that tells the story from the perspective of a cop, with a sort of shady past. It's all as formulaic as it probably sounds to you right now, which also means that it isn't truly any more- or less worse than the average genre attempt.
The movie still is a well enough made one. I mean, it has a good look to it and it's obvious some serious money got put into it.
This also shows with its cast. Stephen Dorff might not be the biggest draw anymore, he still is a big name and certainly also a good actor. It's still a shame that throughout his career he has played these sort of scruffy characters a bit too many times already. It isn't anything surprising anymore and it makes it come across like he isn't even really trying anymore and continues to play the same character over and over again. Next to Dorff, also the likes of Stephen Lang, Dominic Purcell and James Woods show up in this. They are however part of the supporting cast, so don't expect to be blown away by any of them, or to see an awful lot of them in this movie.
A pretty standard and formulaic genre movie, that however isn't focused enough with both its story and storytelling to also consider this movie to be a watchable and recommendable enough one.
5/10
Besides, the movie feels needlessly messy with its story. Even while there really isn't all that much to its story, in terms of originality and true creativity, it still seems to have a hard time focusing on one thing at the same time. Is the main-story more about Det. Callahan's (Stephen Dorff) past, or is it one that's more about the cases he's currently involved with? Of course in the end it all turns out to be related, which shouldn't turn out to be a surprise to anyone but it still lets the storytelling feel messy and needlessly complicated.
It doesn't help that the movie constantly keeps changing directions. It picks up certain plot lines and drops them, just as fast again. This is also being part of the reason why the movie doesn't feel all that well focused.
It's hard to truly stay involved with this movie really. It doesn't ever grab you, with its story, characters or any of its developments. It just isn't all that interesting to watch, though I still wouldn't call this a horrible movie as well though.
It's a typical crime-thriller-drama, that tells the story from the perspective of a cop, with a sort of shady past. It's all as formulaic as it probably sounds to you right now, which also means that it isn't truly any more- or less worse than the average genre attempt.
The movie still is a well enough made one. I mean, it has a good look to it and it's obvious some serious money got put into it.
This also shows with its cast. Stephen Dorff might not be the biggest draw anymore, he still is a big name and certainly also a good actor. It's still a shame that throughout his career he has played these sort of scruffy characters a bit too many times already. It isn't anything surprising anymore and it makes it come across like he isn't even really trying anymore and continues to play the same character over and over again. Next to Dorff, also the likes of Stephen Lang, Dominic Purcell and James Woods show up in this. They are however part of the supporting cast, so don't expect to be blown away by any of them, or to see an awful lot of them in this movie.
A pretty standard and formulaic genre movie, that however isn't focused enough with both its story and storytelling to also consider this movie to be a watchable and recommendable enough one.
5/10
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