Director:
Gary Fleder
Starring:
Jason Statham
James Franco
Winona Ryder
Plot:
A former DEA agent moves his family to a quiet town, where he soon tangles with a local meth druglord.
Review:
I will never understand directors that cast Jason Statham and then don’t showcase his talents. Yeah there’s action but with all the quick cuts and shaky cam who the hell knows what’s going on? It’s infuriating. The man can fight and he looks good fighting, but do you let people see that? No. You do so many cuts and shake so much that you end up just getting the vague idea that a fight has happened.
I’m over exaggerating, but just a little.
You’ve hired a choreographer and an action star fucking use them!
When you watch a fight do you bounce around from place to place in seconds? No. You find a place with a good view and watch as the fight happens. Why can’t movies do that? Every time there are copious amounts of quick cuts and shaky cam I’m taken out of the movie and get pissed off.
Anyway back to the movie.
The story was bad, the whole romantic story line just disappeared with no resolution. James Franco wasn’t as crazy as I thought he was going to be but he was probably the best part of the movie. I really don’t think Winona Ryder needed to be in the movie, she was just an extra character and her parts could have been given to someone else.
This was an adaption from a book which I haven’t read. Maybe the book makes more sense, maybe they had to cut out a lot for time. Whatever the case this movie did not work for me.
1.5/5