Arnie’s back – but sadly with more of a whimper than a bang.
That’s not saying he does anything particularly wrong, but unfortunately his old action fans seemed to have abandoned him in this enjoyably generic romp.
Despite high hopes the film only opened at Number Ten at the Box Office Stateside, and repeated that feat when it opened in the same spot this side of the pond this week.
At least you can say the former California ‘Governator’ is consistent, if you excuse the sarcasm.
But the funny thing is, he kind of is consistent. He again does exactly what it says on the tin – albeit in a slightly more aged fashion – in this action-thriller that just about ends up on the right side of mediocre.
When infamous drug cartel leader Gabriel Cortez (Eduardo Noriega) makes a spectacular Las Vegas escape from the clutches off the FBI – and Agent Bannister (played by Oscar-winner Forest Whitaker on autopilot) – he hurtles south in a high-speed car towards Mexico, and the sleepy border town of Summerton Junction.
But he didn’t bet on town Sheriff Ray Owens (Schwarzenegger) and his small band of road-blocking enforcers – Jaimie Alexander (Thor), Luiz Guzman (Traffic), Rodrigo Santoro (Xerzes from 300) and Jackass’ Johnny Knoxville – to stand in the way of Cortez’s hired hands, headed by Peter Stormare’s (Armageddon) bad apple Burrell.
And what entails is a watchably ‘wham-bam thank you ma’am’ nod to action movies of the eighties – with the expected wooden acting, cheesy one-liners and brutal deaths with heavy firepower.
Knoxville is incredibly annoying, but if you can get over that there’s fun to be had – and there’s still something nostalgic about seeing Arnie back.
It’s just a shame this proves he’s not quite as popular as he once was – and the way back to popularity on the big-screen may only be through the dormant franchises he made his name in.
Gavin Miller
Cast: Arnold Schwarzenegger, Forest Whitaker, Jaimie Alexander, Eduardo Noriega, Rodrigo Santoro, Peter Stormare, Johnny Knoxville, Luiz Guzman, Sonny Landham, Zach Gilford, Christiana Leucas, Harry Dean Stanton, Genesis Rodriguez
Running Time: 1hr 45mins
Director: Jee-woon Kim
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