MOVIE OF THE WEEK (7/31-8/2/13): 2 GUNS
KEY CAST MEMBERS: Mark Wahlberg, Denzel Washington, James Marsden, Edward James Olmos, Bill Paxton, Paula Patton, Fred Ward and Robert John Burke
WRITER(S): Blake Masters (screenplay); Steven Grant (Boom! Studios graphic novels upon which the film is based)
DIRECTOR(S): Baltasar Kormákur
WEB SITE: http://www.2guns.net/
60 SECOND PLOT SYNOPSIS: Based on the Boom! Studioes graphic novel of the same name, 2 Guns stars Mark Wahlberg as U.S. Navy intelligence officer Marcus "Stig" Stigman and Denzel Washington as DEA agent Bobby "Bobby Beans" Trench. The duo has been working together for 12 months and neither one trusts the other – and for good reason: Neither knows the other's true identity and thinks the other one is the key to arresting Mexican drug cartel leader Papi Greco (Edward James Olmos). And if Beans' boss (Robert John Burke) and/or his former flame (Paula Patton) knows something he doesn't know, they're not telling ... And the same goes for Stig's boss, Quince (James Marsden).
But after they rob a bank – where they both think their superiors are showing up to arrest the other guy – both realize something is amiss. And once Earl (Bill Paxton) shows up, both Bobby and Stig come to realize they are going to have to put their distrust aside and work together if they have any chance of bringing the bad guys down ...
... Or staying alive ...
WHO WILL LIKE THIS FILM THE MOST: Fans of movies like Bad Boys, long-standing Washington and Wahlberg fans, people who like characters with snappy dialogue
But after they rob a bank – where they both think their superiors are showing up to arrest the other guy – both realize something is amiss. And once Earl (Bill Paxton) shows up, both Bobby and Stig come to realize they are going to have to put their distrust aside and work together if they have any chance of bringing the bad guys down ...
... Or staying alive ...
WHO WILL LIKE THIS FILM THE MOST: Fans of movies like Bad Boys, long-standing Washington and Wahlberg fans, people who like characters with snappy dialogue
WHO WON'T LIKE THIS FILM: People who pay too much attention to plot holes, people that don't like movies that have too many predictable twists, those likely too familiar with the source material
BOTTOM LINE – IS IT GOOD, GREAT, BAD OR DOWNRIGHT AWFUL? Thanks to some superb acting on the likes of Washington, Wahlberg, Paxton and Olmos, good ... Enough.
WHAT'S GOOD (OR BAD) ABOUT IT?: In many ways, 2 Guns feels like a throwback movie to the 80s and early 90s when you could follow a simple formula and ride it all the way to box office success: [1] Pair up an older guy (white or black) with a younger guy (black or white); [2] Force them to work together in some situation where it would seem crazy for them to trust each other but [3] They eventually come to realize they are the only ones they can trust; [4] Add in an attractive female character with questionable motives (and more often than not, acting ability); Make sure [5] You have at least one if not two cool villains with great dialogue that they nearly steal every scene they are in and [6] Make sure your climax is filled with enough gunplay and explosions that any lingering plot holes are forgotten by the audiences by the time the credits roll.
In short, that sums up the nearly 2 hour experience that is 2 Guns; fortunately, thanks to the strong performances of Wahlberg, Washington, Olmos and especially Paxton, the film is palatable even in its shortcomings.
Channeling a mix of confidence and sense of humor not seen since his Boogie Nights days, Wahlberg does a great job in 2 Guns at being the younger, more free-spirited version but less insane version of Mel Gibson's Riggs to Washington's hipper, less stressed out version of Danny Glover's Murtaugh during the Lethal Weapon days. Like Eddie Murphy and Nick Nolte in 48 Hours and countless dozens after them, Wahlberg and Washington make their buddy routine work thanks to good timing, the ability to feed off one another and yet not let the other outdo them. While such a formulaic relationship is well, formulaic, the brothers "W" give it plenty of life to keep it working throughout the film.
Likewise, Olmos delivers his most interesting performance in a while as the smooth Papi Greco; Paxton, however, nearly steals the movie out from everyone as Earl, using a smooth Southern drawl and general "I don't give a ––––, I'm in charge here" attitude to perfection in every scene he's in. While Marsden does the best he can in his limited role, Patton's performance unfortunately will likely be more remembered for the scenes that would be better suited in the NSFW version of her husband Robin Thicke's video"Blurred Lines" than her actual acting.
Director Baltasar Kormákur does a decent job of keeping things moving along, even if he tips his hand too early too often so that the audience is seemingly one step ahead of the characters (including the heroes) in the film at all times. His work is better than his previous effort with Wahlberg (the long-forgotten Contraband) but much like the plot of 2 Guns itself, his lens game is passable enough to satisfy most audiences.
All in all, 2 Guns is one of those movies that guys who long for the days of TBS' "Movies for Guys Who Like Movies" will love, as will the women who find Wahlberg and Washington irresistible in everything they do. And in a summer full of lackluster entries, 2 Guns has enough firepower to give it an edge over its competition ... What little there is of it to compete with, that is.
OVERALL RATING (OUT OF FOUR POSSIBLE BUCKETS OF POPCORN):
WHAT'S GOOD (OR BAD) ABOUT IT?: In many ways, 2 Guns feels like a throwback movie to the 80s and early 90s when you could follow a simple formula and ride it all the way to box office success: [1] Pair up an older guy (white or black) with a younger guy (black or white); [2] Force them to work together in some situation where it would seem crazy for them to trust each other but [3] They eventually come to realize they are the only ones they can trust; [4] Add in an attractive female character with questionable motives (and more often than not, acting ability); Make sure [5] You have at least one if not two cool villains with great dialogue that they nearly steal every scene they are in and [6] Make sure your climax is filled with enough gunplay and explosions that any lingering plot holes are forgotten by the audiences by the time the credits roll.
In short, that sums up the nearly 2 hour experience that is 2 Guns; fortunately, thanks to the strong performances of Wahlberg, Washington, Olmos and especially Paxton, the film is palatable even in its shortcomings.
Channeling a mix of confidence and sense of humor not seen since his Boogie Nights days, Wahlberg does a great job in 2 Guns at being the younger, more free-spirited version but less insane version of Mel Gibson's Riggs to Washington's hipper, less stressed out version of Danny Glover's Murtaugh during the Lethal Weapon days. Like Eddie Murphy and Nick Nolte in 48 Hours and countless dozens after them, Wahlberg and Washington make their buddy routine work thanks to good timing, the ability to feed off one another and yet not let the other outdo them. While such a formulaic relationship is well, formulaic, the brothers "W" give it plenty of life to keep it working throughout the film.
Likewise, Olmos delivers his most interesting performance in a while as the smooth Papi Greco; Paxton, however, nearly steals the movie out from everyone as Earl, using a smooth Southern drawl and general "I don't give a ––––, I'm in charge here" attitude to perfection in every scene he's in. While Marsden does the best he can in his limited role, Patton's performance unfortunately will likely be more remembered for the scenes that would be better suited in the NSFW version of her husband Robin Thicke's video"Blurred Lines" than her actual acting.
Director Baltasar Kormákur does a decent job of keeping things moving along, even if he tips his hand too early too often so that the audience is seemingly one step ahead of the characters (including the heroes) in the film at all times. His work is better than his previous effort with Wahlberg (the long-forgotten Contraband) but much like the plot of 2 Guns itself, his lens game is passable enough to satisfy most audiences.
All in all, 2 Guns is one of those movies that guys who long for the days of TBS' "Movies for Guys Who Like Movies" will love, as will the women who find Wahlberg and Washington irresistible in everything they do. And in a summer full of lackluster entries, 2 Guns has enough firepower to give it an edge over its competition ... What little there is of it to compete with, that is.
OVERALL RATING (OUT OF FOUR POSSIBLE BUCKETS OF POPCORN):
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