This Movie Seems Vaguely Familiar... "Criminal"

Criminal (2016)

Rated R

Starring Kevin Costner, Ryan Reynolds, Gary Oldman, Tommy Lee Jones, Jordi Molla, Gal Gadot,

Directed by Ariel Vroman

The Story:

CIA Operative Bill Pope (Reynolds) is trying to stop "The Dutchman" (Molla) from his diabolical plot to do something bad. But then he winds up dead. Or at least, mostly dead. So his mind, memories and abilities are transferred into death row inmate Jerico Stewart (Costner) for him to complete the mission. Except, he doesn't really want to.

Hilarity ensues.

Okay, maybe not so much that last part, but lots of explosions, death and swearing abound during the next 2 hours.

Remember earlier this year, I reviewed a little movie called Self/Less ?

Of course you don't, I barely remember it either.

But what I do remember is that a millionaire who didn't want to die transferred his memory into the younger body of... wait for it.....

 Ryan Reynolds!

Nope, you can't make this stuff up.

So it's almost like an indirect sequel.

:)

However, what's really criminal is that this amount of star power is unleashed in such a...

bland ? mediocre ? meh ?

type of action film.

Costner Christian Bales grunts his way through the movie. I guess it shows how angry he is?

Either way, the movie sort of wears you down while it chugs along to the inevitable showdown at the end.

However, it's everything that the film lacks with tension, drama and importance that just gives us a bland thriller, through no real fault of any of the actors.

Final Grade: C...maybe even a C+

What Could Possibly Go Wrong? "Self/Less"

Self/Less (2015)

Rated PG-13

Starring Ryan Reynolds, Natalie Martinez, Matthew Goode, Ben Kingsley,

Directed by Tarsem Singh

The Story:

A dying multi-millionaire (Kingsley) discovers a radical solution by Professor Albright (Goode) to his problem: they will transfer his consciousness into a body that was grown in a lab (Reynolds). Sounds too good to be true?

It is.

When he discovers that the body was not grown but actually  someone else thanks to the  weird visions he keeps having, he tracks down his former life, while being tracked down by people who very much wish to keep this project a secret.

Luckily his new body has some Army training, sir!

: )

Nothing earth-shattering in cinematic achievement, but it is a movie that will hold your attention throughout and you can forgive any plot holes that you find.

Nothing wrong with that.

Kingsley gives a great performance, as always, though he's not in the movie for very long.

Then they turn it over to Reynolds, and he gets to play a fish out of water as he slowly learns what diabolical plan he really signed up for. He doesn't get to play too much of the smart-aleck character that we know and love, but he does a good job.

I totally buy him as an action hero.

;)

Final Grade: C+