Starring: Mark Wahlberg, Kate Beckinsale, and Ben Foster
Directed by: Baltasar Kormákur
Screenplay by: Aaron Guzikowski and Arnaldur Indriðason
Is this really the way Hollywood wants to start 2012?
Chris Farraday (Mark Wahlberg) is an elite smuggler, recently out of the smuggling business. When his brother-in-law screws up a run and has to dump the package he's smuggling into the U.S., a price still has to be paid to the drug lord who hired him. He's vowed to kill the entire family if he doesn't get his payment, so now it's up to Farraday to come out of retirement and sneak in some counterfeit money so he can pay up.
So, this sounds like a pretty cool story, a little cliche, but still awesome. While the originality factor may be at absolute zero, it could make for a decent film. So, why is it bad?
This is the same story we've seen in so many movies so many times. For me, it was entertaining for the first one-third of the film. The film does a good part sticking to developing the story and all of the characters and situations involved. It sets us up for what's sure to be a great show that will take us on a wild ride. But, it's pretty obvious what's going to happen. It's so obvious that it seems like the director assumes we know what's going to happen at the end, so after the first one-third of the movie is over, the story slows down and the details arise. There are endless unimportant details to this story that could have made this a 45 minute movie had they all been taken out. The basic plot all but disappears except for when a major event in the plot line occurs. It's almost like the filmmakers decided to wrap up the story and just use up time by putting in useless, but pretty cool and explosive, action scenes. It's easy to get bored once you notice this happening.
Mark Wahlberg plays the same old emotionless, tough-guy, role that he always plays in his other movies. This is not his best work as an actor in my mind. Overall, all the actors gave only average performances. I wasn't too impressed with the acting.
Contraband could have easily been a better, slightly less action-packed, but more entertaining film. I was disappointed with this movie. I had hoped the new year would bring something good in the first weeks, but so far, I'm not too sure of that.
I give Contraband a good, solid C.
Directed by: Baltasar Kormákur
Screenplay by: Aaron Guzikowski and Arnaldur Indriðason
Is this really the way Hollywood wants to start 2012?
Chris Farraday (Mark Wahlberg) is an elite smuggler, recently out of the smuggling business. When his brother-in-law screws up a run and has to dump the package he's smuggling into the U.S., a price still has to be paid to the drug lord who hired him. He's vowed to kill the entire family if he doesn't get his payment, so now it's up to Farraday to come out of retirement and sneak in some counterfeit money so he can pay up.
So, this sounds like a pretty cool story, a little cliche, but still awesome. While the originality factor may be at absolute zero, it could make for a decent film. So, why is it bad?
This is the same story we've seen in so many movies so many times. For me, it was entertaining for the first one-third of the film. The film does a good part sticking to developing the story and all of the characters and situations involved. It sets us up for what's sure to be a great show that will take us on a wild ride. But, it's pretty obvious what's going to happen. It's so obvious that it seems like the director assumes we know what's going to happen at the end, so after the first one-third of the movie is over, the story slows down and the details arise. There are endless unimportant details to this story that could have made this a 45 minute movie had they all been taken out. The basic plot all but disappears except for when a major event in the plot line occurs. It's almost like the filmmakers decided to wrap up the story and just use up time by putting in useless, but pretty cool and explosive, action scenes. It's easy to get bored once you notice this happening.
Mark Wahlberg plays the same old emotionless, tough-guy, role that he always plays in his other movies. This is not his best work as an actor in my mind. Overall, all the actors gave only average performances. I wasn't too impressed with the acting.
Contraband could have easily been a better, slightly less action-packed, but more entertaining film. I was disappointed with this movie. I had hoped the new year would bring something good in the first weeks, but so far, I'm not too sure of that.
I give Contraband a good, solid C.
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