12 Rounds Movie
Storyline
TAGLINES PLOT SUMMARY
Detective Danny Fisher discovers his girlfriend has been kidnapped by a ex-con tied to Fisher's past, and he'll have to successfully complete 12 challenges in order to secure her safe release.
| Peter Navy Tuiasosopo | Willie |
| Nick Gomez | Samuel |
| Luke Albright | Johnny 'Tube Sock' Jenkins |
| Michael Arnona | Armored Car Security |
| Dewayne Bateman | Barhawker |
| Allen Boudreaux | Detective |
| J. Omar Castro | FBI Agent |
| John Cena | Det. Danny Fisher |
| Joseph Cintron | Doctor |
| Kyle Russell Clements | Dave Baxter |
| Kim Collins | Phil |
| Carlo Daquin | Trolley Passenger |
| Travis Davis | Anthony Deluso |
| Wayne Ferrara | Battallion Commander |
| Vincent Flood | Det. Chuck Jansen |
| Renny Harlin |
5.40 out of 10 (8016 votes)
Visitor Reviews
Excellent action film
posted on 24 Aug 2009If you can just avoid asking "how?" you might enjoy this film as an exciting collection of action scenes. The villain does bad things, and the hero John Cena manages to save the day (as expected). Reality and logic are overlooked when they are in conflict with a good action scene. The fact that the action in this film could never, never ever happen is beside the point.Very little time is spent on character development, since all you need to know is who the villain is. You find this out within a minute or two, and you can then switch off your brain for the rest of the film.This film is immune to criticism. John Cena does not have any big acting scenes, and might even be capable of passable acting. However, he's not called upon to do much acting. His execution of the stunts and action scenes is amazing.How can anyone complain about an illogical plot when the film was produced by the WWE and stars a professional wrestler? The movie was filmed entirely in New Orleans,and makes terrific use of dozens of locations. I probably gave it an extra point or two for this. The scene with the "runaway streetcar" has got to be an in-joke, because the "real" Canal Street streetcar cannot travel more than a half-block at a time at a very, very slow pace. It is frequently blocked by vehicles stopped across its tracks. The havoc (if not revenge) wreaked on vehicular traffic by this runaway streetcar has got to bring delight to any local streetcar rider.
The Marine + Speed + Die Hard: With a Vengeance + Renny Harlin = Good old fashioned, fun action flick.
posted on 24 Aug 2009This type of movies are predictable. Good guy vs. Bad guy. Yes, from the trailer we've all seen it before. We know what's gonna happen next. But what's refreshing about "12 Rounds", the latest John Cena outing, is that it has solid action scenes, that were filmed for real, thus giving the movie an extra edge. All of this is thanks to director Renny Harlin.I am not ashamed to call myself a fan of Renny Harlin. He, as you may know, is a director who puts his heart in crafting white-knuckle action. Think "Die Hard 2", "Cliffhanger", and "The Long Kiss Goodnight". All of those films contain many thrilling action, most of them filmed practically, without CGI. The film's plot, although a blatant but forgivable rip-off of "DH3" and with elements of "The Marine" works well with Harlin because it is what he does best - making solid action FOR REAL. Two action sequences deserve mention here; Cena's character (unintentionally...I think) using a fire engine to destroy part of New Orleans faster than Hurricane Katrina ever will, and a sequence involving a tram, which is impressive.As for the acting, it's pretty mediocre at best, but with action movies, it's normal nowadays. John "Matt Damon on steroids" Cena here, however, is a step up from his previous "Marine", here he's more flexible and believable. Brian J. White is okay as his partner, as per his sweetheart, Ashley Scott. The villain played by Aiden Gillen, is what could be the first time I've seen a movie villain be intelligent and annoying at the same time. The rest of the cast, especially the FBI agents, fall flat.And finally, as far as believability goes, the film is not nearly as ridiculous as "The Marine", it's more realistic. Sure, there are few "ok that's bull" scenes, but there's very little of that, in fact in a scene I thought Cena would become Evel Knievel but thankfully he didn't.So in short, it's a big, loud, dumb, and fun time waster. See it for the action only. It's a big breath of fresh air after CGI laden DTV nonsense. Glad to see Harlin back doing what he does best; old school action.Entertainment value: 7.5/10Overall: 6/10
Yes OK it is Cheesy but Oh-My-Gosh.... Don't you think John Cena....
posted on 22 Aug 2009don't you think he looks like a perfect genetic cross between Matt Damon & Mark Wahlberg and then chuck a bucket of steroids in the mix and et voila - you have - JOHN CENA! Really Hollywood is up to something - Cross Breeding Actors!!! John Cena, I discovered, is better at acting with his face than with his dialog. Irish hot head Aidan Gillan (star of the Queer As Folk TV-series) plays the baddie Miles Jackson - and does his sexy psycho thing very well. John Felix Anthony Cena plays Detective Danny Fisher - a cute an honest cop - caught unfortunately in a evil game of cat-an-mouse. Ashley Scott plays Molly Porter the cute blonde wifey. Its not a NEW plot, nor even close. But they don't try to be something they're not - they just copycat and get on with chasing each other round and round. If you have nothing better to watch - then why not watch it? But if you could go out for margaritas instead - why, you'd be missing nothing. Enjoy those margaritas! :D
It won't help Renny Harlin's movie career... or John Cena's for that matter
posted on 22 Aug 2009Whatever happened to director Renny Harlin's career? In the past, he made some very entertaining movies like DIE HARD 2, CLIFFHANGER, THE LONG KISS GOODNIGHT, and PRISON. After the decent DEEP BLUE SEA, his career started a slow slide down. First came his decision to work with the schlockmeisters at Franchise Pictures (DRIVEN), then came lower-budgeted stuff that looked like they could have been directed by someone else (THE CONVENANT, MINDHUNTERS).Perhaps Harlin was thinking he could make a comeback with 12 ROUNDS, a return to his action roots. Even if it was funded by the WWE and didn't have nearly the budget of one of his past blockbusters. But this is unlikely to return him to the "A" list of directors. To begin with, this movie is not very original. It rips off DIE HARD WITH A VENGEANCE (and to a lesser extent, SPEED.) Still, it could have been a fun rip-off, but it doesn't look like Harlin's heart was in it. The action scenes are surprisingly bland. The editing looks very messy, and much of the action is shot close-up and with a shaking camera to try and suggest more action than there really is. Harlin also doesn't have seemed to have tried to get decent performances from his actors. While Cena isn't terrible, he's just... bland. It's hard to get involved with his struggles as a result, and combined with the rest of the movie's flaws, you end up just not caring about what goes on.
"The Buzz" says "Saw?"
posted on 18 Aug 2009In all actuality... Die Hard with a Vengeance came out before Saw. Saw is murder porn. I mean really? Who can watch that trash enough to put out a saw five? At least with Friday the 13th, Nightmare on Elm Street, and Halloween there is an overall understanding of reasons why they are on murder sprees. I think Jigsaw, or whatever that serial killers name is in Saw, should just commit suicide if he is that troubled end the series for god's sake."The Buzz" for sure know what they are talking about, as far as movie plots go... I think this movie sounds more like a Die Hard with a Vengeance scenario and not the murder porn they described it as.
Not great, but a big improvement on The Marine
posted on 16 Aug 2009Well its another WWE movie. The history of these movies isn't particularly great.Therefore, I went into 12 Rounds not expecting much, but i honestly got a lot more than I expected. Its an action filled movie, obviously, but i actually enjoyed it. Ofcource some of the events are unrealistic, but all action movies are like that.It starts off with Cena's wife being abducted by a man because cena was involved in the death of the man's girlfriend. The man wants revenge, and wants cena to suffer by playing a game of 12 rounds with him. Cena undergoes a series of tests to try and save his wife, while also trying to not break the law because the police is with him all the way. To avoid spoilers, i will only say that the movie has a disappointing ending in my opinion. In summary, its not really great, but an enjoyable popcorn movie.
You'll be surprised
posted on 12 Aug 2009As you may or may not know John Cena's film '12 Rounds' was released in Australia on the 19th of March.Just got home from seeing it and i have to say it was great. Good, solid movie all the way through. Having Renny Harlin as director obviously helped make this a much better effort than previous WWE films. Don't want to give away too much cause i really think people will actually like this movie and that they should go see it. Good cast - Brain J White was by far the stand out. But I have to say John's performance was so much better this time around and you really can notice a difference between his acting ability in '12 Rounds' and 'The Marine'. He's not as tense and you can actually believe what he's saying. There are little tiny things (maybe like 2 moments in the film) that your like 'as if that could really happen' but the story keeps you too focused to really care.If you like car chases, you'll like this. If you like John Cena, you'll like this. If you like a little Drama/Romance (Ladies?), you'll like this.Go see it, I swear you'll be surprised.
A Nutshell Review: 12 Rounds
posted on 10 Aug 2009Renny Harlin has been relatively quiet these days, but I won't be shy in stating for a fact that I had enjoyed some of his action movies in the past, with the likes of Die Hard 2 (despite all the loopholes), Cliffhanger with Stallone, Driven (also starring Sly) and The Long Kiss Goodnight even. Despite being better known for duds starting with Cutthroat Island, Mindhunters and even The Covenant which turned out to be a comedy, 12 Rounds turned out to be better than expected, also because John Cena looked the classic action hero that Hollywood so sorely misses.No, I'm not a WWE John Cena wrestling fan, because my interest in WWE was left back when it was known as WWF, and like The Rock (now wanting to be known simply as Dwayne Johnson), Cena follows in his footsteps in making that leap to the big screen. While his first outing as The Marine was pretty much straight to DVD fare, this one was designed for the big screen with its big set action pieces befittingly challenging the big man, and having an old hand of action at the helm helped to bring out some enjoyable moments despite clichés abound.As the trailer would already have suggested, Danny Fisher (Cena) is a beat cop who gets in the way of a heist by international arms trader Miles Jackson (Aiden Gillen who was just a mile wide of being a memorable psychopathic villain), and in his pursuit causes the latter's main squeeze to die in a traffic accident. Ridden with rage, Miles remembers his pursuer so that he can exact revenge when he breaks out of prison. Only that he harbours some diabolical plot to play with his prey, hence the kidnapping of Danny's girlfriend Molly (Ashley Scott) and the devising of 12 rounds of city-wide games with the overcoming of each round leading Danny closer to his girl.So begins a running around New Orleans to perform the usual one-man cop stunts that calls for everything from intellect to brute force. It could easily fit into the Die Hard franchise, or Speed for that matter as one sequence in a bus would have me reminisce. In shows like these, things do get a tad convenient, and though I tried to examine just a little bit more into it, the plot still made some sense and held some water. In some moments it seemed like it's paying its own tribute to the emergency services of New Orleans post-Katrina, with the police, fire and medical departments featured prominently as occupations of choice of its characters.12 Rounds is rip-roaring fun. As an action film, it has enough thrills and spills if you'd just park aside believability for a minute, and bask in the possibility of one man saving the world only because it got personal stakes involved, coming complete with obnoxious FBI agents who think they know the world. Sprinkled with some light touches of humour, the body count here is surprisingly low, which in some way gave a breathe of fresh air instead of subscribing to the mantra that the more gruesome or gritty, the better.But if there are qualms, it's directed more at the technical areas, like the lapsing into the shaky cam, where I had thought to roll my eyes and exclaim that Renny should have bought a bloody tripod for his DOP. Also, the editing probably needed to rethink his quick cuts in the final action sequence in closed quarters, as well as some cheesy lines where it's not warranted (I swear if I hear one more "wrong place, wrong time" comment...)However if you go at this with expectations set low, you might just come out with a grin at the end of it. I'll be anticipating more John Cena movies to come, and will probably go dig at his older film as well, but here's hoping that he doesn't go the way that most action stars do - easy come and easy go - that he gets some longevity at the box office, before being unceremoniously pushed aside (if it does happen, like Seagal's career) to the straight to video shelves.
Surprisingly good
posted on 02 Aug 2009Det. Danny Fisher (John Cena) has just taken Miles (Aidan Gillen)'s wife's life. Now Miles has taken Danny's girlfriend, Molly (Ashley Scott), and forced Danny to go through 12 rounds in order to save her. This may of made for a lame action picture, but rather, it makes for a very good action-thriller. John Cena nicely follows up The Marine with yet another guilty pleasure action-thriller. He's a wrestler, yes, but he's also good with these action films. Just like The Marine, this is not perfect, but it makes for some great entertainment. I rather liked the action, and Cena, Gillen, and Scott do a great job at acting in this film. It made me happy to see an action film like this. By that I mean a not too over the top action film. It's just perfect, it has some very nice action, but it stops for other stuff. It does have some cheap thrills, but overall most of the thrills are pretty damn authentic. It's very interesting to watch a film like this, and recognize not all action films are filled with just plain cheap action. I'm giving this a recommendation, not a big recommendation, but a recommendation nonetheless.
Nothing Original, But Undeniably Entertaining
posted on 31 Jul 2009In recent years, there really hasn't been many truly great action flicks to warrant fans of the genre to go to the theaters. Sure, there has been a few entries in classic action series like Rambo and Indiana Jones hat met with varied success, but not much in the line of fresh new flicks has been produced (Except the awesome Crank). Thus we come to a film that really garnered next to no hype and slipped quietly into theaters, 12 Rounds. Is it the movie action fans have been yearning for? Danny Fisher, played by WWE superstar John Cena, is a New Orleans detective faced with a problem: an old terrorist named Miles he arrested a year back has broken out of jail and has taken Fisher's girl. Now the only way to get her back is to complete 12 rounds of a "game" that Miles created to finally get revenge on the cop that ruined his life. It's an unlikely scenario to be sure, but hey, this is an action flick, so it's just preposterous enough to make for an interesting plot. The thing I don't understand though is the fact that in the trailer for 12 Rounds, it is said to be directed by the same director who did Die Hard 2, and produced by the Speed producer. Why is this odd? Well, it is obvious right from the start that 12 Rounds is a blatant rip-off of Speed right down to some scenes being near carbon-copies. Well, at least they ripped off the cream of the action genre crop I guess.One of the major compliments I feel I have to give to the filmmakers comes in that no noticeable CGI was used anywhere in the movie. CGI has been overused way too much as of late, so to see an action movie with good ol' fashioned stunts and explosions is great. What's better than no CGI is how all the action is done incredibly well. Between great car chases, huge explosions, and nicely choreographed fights, it's a feast for the eyes. Of course, all this awesomeness couldn't just stay awesome thanks heavily to the awful camera-work. Similar to Quantum of Solace's quick cuts and shaky camera during action sequences, 12 Rounds makes it difficult at times to tell what the hell is going on. I don't see what is wrong with traditional camera-work where viewers can actually enjoy the high-quality special effects since they can be seen in all their glory, but I digress.Honestly, there really isn't much to say about this one. If you are an action fan that has already seen every Stallone and Schwarzenegger movie under the sun, then 12 Rounds is sure to entertain on a rainy afternoon. Granted, it doesn't bring much to the table in terms of new concepts or anything like that, but it's entertaining, and that all that really matters, right? Again, it's a complete and utter rip-off of Speed, but it's a damn fine rip-off, and I would be willing to call this Speed 2 more than that pathetic piece of crap film with the cruise ship. After jumping to conclusions when I saw John Cena as the star and it being a WWE Production, I was genuinely surprised by the entertainment value found within, and I think that if viewers go in with the right mindset, they too will have a great time.
A real thrill ride, for sure.
posted on 25 Jul 2009"12 Rounds" had no original plot ideas. It had some amazingly preposterous situations. I mean ,if I see a guy out run a car again, I just don't know. Some of the acting was less than stellar, but you know what , it was a lot of fun. John Cena was certainly up to the task of all the non stop stunts and action scenes and Renny Harlin can certainly put on a show. I say check your logic at the Marquee and have a good time. I sure did.I saw it in the theaters and again when it was released on Blu-Ray and enjoyed it even more at home. I am not a WWE fan, so I just knew Cena from a film called "The Marine"and I remembered enjoying it as I did with this film . Give it a spin.
For what it is, it's decently solid.
posted on 21 Jul 2009Yes, I saw this movie. Why? Because it was free. No one expects this to be a groundbreaking action movie that changes the face of the genre. I didn't even expect it to be a decent ripoff. But hey, I had a good time watching this one...it's not going to go down as epic or anything, but it's certainly not the worst product featuring a wrestler in a starring role (Doom, anyone?). This is all well and good, but they should change the title of this film to '12 Rounds of Insanity', because there's no way any of this movie is possible.That's where the chuckles will begin. The premise of this movie, pretty much 'Saw' crossed with 'Speed', is rather clever - it's the one reason I didn't hate the movie - however, this doesn't change the fact that this is one of the most ridiculous and insane movies of recent memory. I don't mean insane like...cool insane. I mean insane as in that only an insane person could see the events of the film as realistic.Is Renny Harlin still capable of directing decent action? Sure, as '12 Rounds' doesn't do a bad job supplying some quality stunts and explosions, which, let's face it - is all the audience really wants from this movie. 'Die Hard 2' was a worthy entry in that series (though it may be the most forgettable), but hey, Harlin does pack the movie with enough action and thrills to make it at least somewhat entertaining.John Cena, as we know, is not an actor...I do not expect him to deliver award worthy work, therefore he does not disappoint. He does have an air of likability about him, but he doesn't have the same level of charisma as most other action stars nowadays. I don't even think he smiles in this movie. Again, is Harlin known for getting great performances? No, so you shouldn't expect anything more. What's kind of sad is that the actors in the movie, the people who actually have that as their first profession, are nothing short of laughable. Ashley Scott in particular was disappointing because of her lack of emotion. Aidan Gillen is a passable villain (though he couldn't have been cheesier if he tried), and is also the character hurt most by the ridiculous events in the script. Brian White as Cena's partner was probably my favorite character and performance in the film.In short, '12 Rounds' is not a movie that should be taken overly serious. It aims for an audience who expects cool explosions, a fast talking villain, and a ton of action. In that respect, this movie is alright. It's also the first action movie this year that the kids (around 9 or 10 and up) should be okay in, as there's very little language and no sex at all. If you go in with low to modest expectations (or are in the mood for exactly what it promises), '12 Rounds' might just be a decent movie.
Gritty, but ultimately fluffy, ripoff of Die Hard films
posted on 19 Jul 2009In 12 Rounds, an intrepid cop/detective (John Cena) matches wits with an Irish killer (Aidan Gillen) who's holding his girlfriend hostage in New Orleans. Danny Fisher must go the distance with the madman via "rounds" - that is, challenges - in order to save his girl. Think of it as Saw meets Die Hard, without the profanity and gore.Now, this is a World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) production, so I assumed that it would be kind of action heavy, something that Stallone might have done in the eighties, something with Mack-truck-sized plot holes. But it's not nearly as disappointing; it has an actual plot and throws in enough turns to keep you riveted. Sometimes it helps to have low expectations.First, here's the good stuff. There are a LOT of explosions. The movie's one big explosion, come to think of it. And of course it is, it's directed by Renny Harlin (Die Hard 2, Cliffhanger). Now, you might think that a movie that's just one big explosion would get tedious eventually, but the movie's tone hearkens back to those mindless star-powered action movies of yesteryear - that is, the Hero is more superhero than actual guy, and that gives it a little more appeal.Then there's Cena. For a pro wrestler, he's a very good action star. He's believable and sincere, and since he's in peak physical condition you get the impression that he actually can do the grueling feats he's attempting. His likability here saves the movie, at least to some extent. Cena's not a character I've thought of as particularly charismatic, at least not in the sense that Roddy Piper was/is charismatic, but he's a Git R Done, meat-and-potatoes kind of guy. He's no frills action, a man you could see playing a cop, like here, or a fireman, or an astronaut.Fisher's adversary, played by Adian Gillen, is a master planner, a meticulous scholar of revenge. The impetus for his kidnapping of Fisher's girl is that Miles Jackson's girl was accidentally killed in a hit and run while they were attempting to flee Fisher a year previously (to the day, of course). Obviously, the girl's death was all Danny Fisher's fault, so Jackson escapes from prison and hatches his elaborate scheme.The challenges are pretty nifty, too. In one, Fisher has two safety deposit boxes. One has a bomb in it, whereas the other one has info about the next challenge "round." He has to bring the contents of one of them to a location at least 20 minutes away - in about seven minutes, or the bomb will go off. He has to figure out a) exactly where the other location is and b) which of the two boxes is the bomb. In another challenge, Fisher's action in an earlier challenge has deactivated the brakes in a trolley car, which is now building up amazing speed (for a trolley car); somehow, Fisher needs to stop the trolley. Sort of reminiscent - or derivative - of Speed, but still.Now some of the bad stuff. The endgame is easy to spot, certainly, but that might not be a debit for the most die-hard (pun) fan of action movies. I didn't think the actress playing Fisher's gal, Ashley Scott, was all that good - not really hot, as you want your damsel in distress to be, and not really believable, as you want any character to be. At least I wasn't openly rooting for her to perish.12 Rounds reminds me of that surge of action films that came out post-Die Hard. You know, Die Hard on a plane, Die Hard on a boat, and so on. It's derivative of just about any action movie you can think of, really, with some of the dialog bordering on the highly laughable. But for me, I was able to ignore those obvious flaws and concentrate on the intrepid heroism of John Cena, just as the producers intended me to do. So yes, it's manipulative fluff that will appeal to only a small audience.**1/2
If you want it non-stop, loud and in your face, then this will tick the boxes.
posted on 15 Jul 2009I went to see Renny Harlin's 12 Rounds last night with my friend and her 10 yr old son. I haven't witnessed an action film at the cinema for a long time, but if you're after a mindless sensory assault then this certainly provides on that level. The action is pretty much non stop, the 12 rounds evaporate at a speed in line with the production budget and the well considered story skips along nicely underneath, usefully disguising the fact that it's all wonderfully implausible. The visuals give the impression that the camera is constantly being dropped and at times the shaky-cam tactics are taken beyond a sensible level. The final fight is so frantically shot it becomes near impossible to see what is going on, but considering the action here is moderate compared to earlier set pieces, this visual spasm may be required to liven up what would otherwise come dangerously close to being 'ordinary' in comparison. The concluding effect is a scene that felt like MY final death throws.Sonically; the film's SFX hurt, but in a fun way, gun shot's and punches are accompanied by so much bass that gunfights sound like a dub-step rave. Trevor Rabin's music is technically accurate but compositionally bland with all potential for life demolished via, I suspect, more than one compressor. When you can actually hear it over the effects it sounds like 47 different pieces all being played at once, thankfully they all sound the same, so it works.The acting didn't make me cringe more than two or three times although Ashley Scott's 'captured girlfriend routine' can be a bit forced, and some of her voice-overs should be accompanied with the sound of a stapler. Aidan Gillen's bad guy is rather fun and there are some nice one liners on offer from him enhanced by his sometimes multi accented delivery. John Cena has the looks and tone to perform for this type of film and his talents don't go to waste.I have to say that I watched 12 Rounds with the unexpected awareness that I was enjoying myself, but once I left the cinema I couldn't for the life of me work out why. It certainly won't leave you with a lasting impression (though it might make your head spin and ears hurt for a while) but it doesn't try to; it's loud, brash, unashamedly trashy and produced in part by the WWE, it therefore goes no further than you'd be wise to expect but it does what it aims to and it does that well.Go, why not, but take the boy, not your brain.
A list of things to like (if you haven't seen a preview; "It's more fun than naked Twister"):
posted on 15 Jul 20091)A lawman on foot chases a gold BMW about 27 blocks through a New Orleans slum, reaching an intercept point prior to the car, then hijacking a boat to effect an arrest (the crook should have had a solid American ride, such as a Corvette or Mustang).2)An international terrorist declares war on plumbers, blowing vehicles and houses to smithereens to do a job on the odd Mario brother.3)A lawman steals a civilian's car at gunpoint, and sees how fast passers-by can dodge it along sidewalks, when he's not causing multi-car wrecks by running red lights.4)The hallways surrounding a bank vault at the top of a high-rise apparently are set ablaze, but fearless lawmen and fire fighters barge in with no breathing apparatus, prying out bomb-laden safety deposit boxes with little more than their fingernails.5)A lawman repels down 12 or so stories to hijack a fire engine, with which he slices civilian vehicles in half left and right so he can reach the Mississippi on the other side of town to throw in a bomb-laden safety deposit box just as it detonates.6)A lawman leads a obese hotel worker to his doom via an elevator that plunges about 20 floors in an eight-story building.7)There are further, less circumspect episodes involving a streetcar knifing through a kids' street fair and a medivac helicopter exploding over a pool full of people, but the details itemized above should let you know if this will be your kind of flick!
Surprisingly watchable
posted on 07 Jul 2009This is an out and out action movie set around New Orleans and the fight between a cop and a psychotic arms dealer to save the cop's girlfriend.Taking his revenge the arms dealer executes a complicated 12 Rounds of challenges for the cop.What we end up with is a pretty exciting, if overall implausible, film.Plenty of good stunts, some nice cliffhangers, a few MacGuffins - everything that an action movie should have.Both the star, John Cena, and the cast deliver it all with straight faces and do a good job - it has some good ideas and good set pieces and if you like action movies then you'll definitely like this.
Wait for cable for this is a dull action film that makes zero sense
posted on 07 Jul 2009Unremarkable Renny Harlin film stars John Cena as a cop who gets on the bad side of a terrorist by "killing" his girlfriend accidentally. After being in prison for a year the bad guy escapes, kidnaps Cena's wife and then has Cena go through 12 rounds of danger to get his wife back.The stunts and set pieces are spectacular but the film lacks a reason to care. The ever increasing action scenes becomes rather dull because they make no logical sense in or out of the film. Worse the films pace seems to be off, I looked at my watch and the set up to the story, the cop and terrorist meeting for the first time doesn't come for a half an hour in (its then another 15 minutes before the chase begins in earnest). Its as if we're watching another movie entirely before we get to the real plot of the film. Then the film careens from set piece to set piece, which as I said become more and more unbelievable, and dissipates any tension because they are so fantastic. There is no rhyme or reason to any of it. Its as if the filmmakers were making things up as they went along, dropping plot points at the last possible minute in a futile attempt to fill the plot chasms.God how I wish I had been home on the couch watching this with friends so I could have made fun of it. 11 Bucks for this? no way. While the action is okay, the rest is a mess and shouldn't be paid for, wait for cable.5 out of 10 (and am I the only one who thinks this is a poor man's passenger 57?)
reading these movie reviews
posted on 07 Jul 2009I got tired of watching wrestling years ago, about the time of stupid Doom movie (The Rock). I thought The Marine was great with the least crappy humor in it. I like this movie because of the action, besides some of the bad acting. John Cena good besides the bad reviews before me. I am just going to have to learn not coming here anymore because there are just way too many people would rather tear a movie down than say anything descent about it. Say all you want, but I have seen some bad movies. There are some comedies that I have seen for about last 15 years that are just considered ridiculously stupid as Heck. This movie is kind of like Die Hard series but I think it was good for being PG-13. Die Hard series were Rated R. So even if they bump up PG-13 movies a little closer to R, only rare ones are. This one is a regular PG-13 movie with no special extras toward a rated R. So this not much to compare with Die Hard except maybe the plot a little.I like good action and most action movies are just for action anyways and not meant for best actors. As this being a Saw thing, well there was no people dying in contraptions like in Saw. As Saw being a Torture and Porn. You got the torture right but porn, think again. Not one of Saws has any couple or two man and women doing each other in the movie. There is hardly any nudity in any of them. So get the facts straight. Torture just does not mean automatically PORN. If you have watched the movie with James Woods (Video Drome), that is more of a torture and porn than Saw and Hostel. Video Drome was even soft porn. There is also a movie called the Crash that was about car crashes and having sex with others that are in the wrecks with was soft porn, but Saw and Hostel don't match it at all as Porn.Man, coming to this site and people just make of crap just because they did not like the movie. Just because you have a personal problem about your thoughts of what you did not like of a movie, really will make people like the ones that actually did like the movie Roll Their Eyes at you. I have no problem seeing this movie again and I bet they will put this on regular TV as a special movie, but you never know now a days they are not putting anything really good on regular TV as movies. Dumb comedies about people making fools out themselves to think they are intelligent for being stupid, yeah that is funny, NOT. Funniest Home Videos are funnier. Enjoy this movie for the ones that watch action and enjoy it, I did and I think others will that at least know how to enjoy a movie.
Like the 90's never went away!!!
posted on 05 Jul 2009It's movies like these that make you want to go to the cinema and have a blast.Great Action, Great Story and Heck,Cena was pretty decent in this......he still ain't no Rock though.I think when people first see that when a wrestler is starring in a movie then immediately think.....crap However you will be presently surprised by thisAll i can recommend is that you will be entertained for 2 hours and that is what you go to the cinema for isn't it?If WWE and john cena keeps making movies like this then more power to them because this was white knuckle action at its Best!!!An Oscar winner it ain't, but a big chunk of loud dumb fun it is.Overall 7.5/10P.S it is better than the marine.
Total Cliché'
posted on 30 Aug 2009I really don't know why I bothered seeing this movie. The plot is totally predictable. The acting was ridiculous. And Cena was one note the entire movie! The only thing the movie has going for it are some of the action scenes. Other than that it is pretty lame.Be prepared for very eye rolling cliché's and bad acting between Cena and his partner. Oh, and also keep an eye out for some very bad music anytime there's dialogue.Would only suggest seeing this movie if you have free tickets, or there really is absolutely nothing else out. It's good for a laugh if nothing else.Otherwise, I'm sure the DVD will be out any day now.