Have A Little Faith..."The Resurrection Of Gavin Stone"

The Resurrection Of Gavin Stone (2017)

Rated PG

Starring Brett Dalton, Angela Johnson-Reyes, Shawn Michaels, D.B. Sweeney, Neil Flynn,

Directed by Dallas Jenkins

The Story:

Gavin Stone (Dalton) is a former child actor who has one altercation with the police too many. Forced to do community service instead of jail time, he opts to assist a church in his hometown. While working on a strained relationship with his dad (Flynn), he becomes intrigued by Kelly (Johnson-Reyes) who is directing the church's Passion Play. What better community service for an actor than to play the role of a lifetime, and tackle Jesus. The church has one stipulation though, all actors have to be Christians. Easy enough, Gavin is an actor after all, and he'll just wing the whole Christian thing as well.

So I'm sure I've already lost a few people's interests because it's a "Christian movie".

So now, I'll lose the rest of you: It was made by WWE Studios.

How's that for a change of pace from the folks that give us B movie action flicks every few months?

It's a light comedy with a touch of romance as Gavin tries desperately to woo Kelly. What he learns, among many things, is the harder he tries, the more he fails.  It is when he is sincere and honest that Kelly, and most everyone else, really open up to him and like the Gavin Stone that stands before them.

Naturally there needs to be a 3rd Act conflict that threatens everything that has unfolded for Gavin on his journey of redemption.

It comes by way of Hollywood calling him back to the world of network television, and naturally, he needs to be back in Hollywood.

The same weekend.

Is Gavin going to choose Hollywood or the small town?

And is any of his pretending to be a Christian going to sink in and stick?

Dalton does a great job as the former star who has crashed back to Earth hard, and wants nothing more than to recapture the glory of his past. By the end of the movie, you can see the changes that have come over him and it's a sweet story to behold.

Final Grade: B

Shawshank Lite... "Vendetta"

Vendetta (2015)

Rated R

Starring Dean Cain, Paul "The Big Show" Wight, Michael Eklund,

Directed by  Jen & Sylvia Soska

The Story:

When Detective Mason Danvers (Cain) life is shattered, he lets go of his badge to get himself tossed into the same prison as Victor Abbott (Wight). However, life for a former cop isn't so easy on the inside.

Well, if you were ever wondering whatever happened to Dean Cain, now you know.

:)

From a few years back, this WWE Studios effort is actually a fairly decent action thriller.

The depths that Mason sinks not only to get into prison, but what he does after he's inside are truly horrifying for a former cop.

Of course, when you're in a prison as crooked as Shawshank, everything that is going to unfold behind the prison walls is not only possible, it's encouraged.

Eklund is particularly slimy as the warden, but Wight, otherwise known to a generation of wrestling fans as the Big Show, is particularly well suited as the gangster who is willing to go back to prison as long as he destroys Mason's life.

Nothing new and earth-shattering in cinematic history, but WWE Studios continues to put out well made films that will keep your attention from start to finish.

I'm okay with that.

Final Grade: C+

The Most Must-See Direct To DVD Sequel..."The Marine 5: Battleground"

The Marine 5: Battleground (2017)

Rated R

Starring Mike "The Miz" Mizanin, Nathan Mitchell, Anna Van Hooft,

Directed by James Nunn

The Story:

Jake Carter (The Miz) has moved on from private security to being an EMT. His first night on the job sees him trying to save the life of a man (Mitchell) that a biker gang wants dead. Jake is going to have to use all of his skills to save the man, his partner (Hooft) and himself.

And the WWE Studios franchise smash The Marine now enters its fifth installment.

Long gone is John Cena, this franchise firmly belongs to The Miz at this point.

Along for the ride this time, playing members of the gang: Heath Slater, Bo Dallas, Curtis Axel, Naomi and the Miz's real life wife, Maryse in a brief role.

They do fine on screen, and for some, this is the most screen time they've had in ages with WWE.

:)

If you've been following the franchise over the years, you'll enjoy this latest installment.

If you rolled your eyes when I said WWE Studios, then nothing I can say could change your mind.

Enjoyable B-movie fare, and we'll see what Jake is doing for a living in the next sequel.

Final Grade: C+

Ready For Action..."The Marine 4: Moving Target"

The Marine 4: Moving Target (2015)  

Rated R

Starring Mike "The Miz" Mizanin, Melissa Roxburgh,

Directed by William Kaufman

The Story:

Jake Carter (Mizanin) has left the Marines and is now working for the most prestigious private security firm that money can buy. His first assignment is to protect a whistleblower (Roxburgh) who has intelligence about top brass that are attempting to betray America. The biggest problem, she doesn't want protection, even from the assassins that are trying to kill her.

WWE Studios returns with their most successful franchise, The Marine. What started as a vehicle for John Cena has turned into a steady gig for The Miz.

Love him or hate him in or out of the ring, Mizanin has more than proved his worth to WWE as arguably their most consistent, and one of the best bad guys over the last decade.

The biggest misstep was trying to make his character a good guy because of his role as the face of The Marine.

They've now settled on the fact that his Hollywood career is part of his egocentric bad guy persona, and they've been mining gold ever since.

Again, they're not reinventing the action flick, they are simply taking what works and keeping the parts well-oiled for their wrestlers to create crossover appeal.

Added to the mix this go round is Summer Rae, who gets to take her turn as a deadly sniper who is trying to take down the target.

It's working, and it's pretty fun from start to finish.

And yes, we're but a few weeks away from the next installment that has The Miz returning in the starring role, and this time there's at least 5 more wrestlers in roles as well.

If they continue to follow this formula, it should be a pretty fun ride.

Final Grade: B-

Down For The Count... "Countdown"

Countdown (2016)

Rated R

Starring Dolph Ziggler, Kane, Katherine Isabelle

Directed by John Stockwell

The Story:

Ray (Ziggler) is a detective who's living on the edge. Facing suspension by his captain (Kane), he goes rogue to save a boy who has been kidnapped and has a bomb strapped to him. His only ally as he tries to elude both the police and the Russian mafia is an Internal Affairs (Isabelle) officer who was leading the charge to have him suspended or fired.

The latest offering from WWE Studios allows Dolph Ziggler (Nick Nemeth) his first feature movie and Kane (Glenn Jacobs) a supporting role as the Captain.

The nice thing with WWE Studios is they pretty much have their own farm system to take the most entertaining superstars and help them transition to actors.

While none of them will likely ever rival the Rock in terms of success or charisma, so far they've all held their own and turned in enjoyable performances in ultimately throwaway "B-Movie" vehicles.

This one is no exception.

Sadly, it may also be one of my least favorites from WWE, through no fault of Ziggler, who I think is one of the best wrestlers in the business today.

No, this one is saddled with a script that is borderline tedious and sometimes laughable. They had about 60 minutes worth of script, and 90 minutes worth of movie to make.

It features one of the worst car chase scenes in cinematic history.

Wait, I think there was actually more than one.

Basically, every time they are in a car... just hit fast forward if you're watching.

They used the car chases to get to 90 minutes. None of them were exciting; no snappy banter, no excellent stunts.

They were actually laughable or painful to watch.

This would make sense if this was the first movie WWE Studios has released, but it's not.

Ziggler deserves better, both inside and outside of the ring.

Final Grade:  C-

Another Inspiring True Story..."Gridiron Gang"

Gridiron Gang (2006)

Rated PG-13

Starring Dwayne Johnson, Xzibit, L. Scott Caldwell, Jade Yorker, Setu Tasse, Mo McRea, James Earl

Directed by Phil Joanou
The Story:

At the Kilpatric Juvenile Detention Facility, supervisor Sean Porter (Johnson) has seen enough. The kids come and go and come back again, or wind up dead or in jail. He wonders if he can give them some direction and guidance by bringing football into their lives.

If he didn't succeed, we wouldn't be watching this movie, now would we.
:)

Yep, another based on a true story which are always nice to drum out the annoying headlines of the news.

Here we go back a decade,  in case you missed it on the first go-round for the film, to a young wrestler turned actor, Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson as he was still billed.

One of his first forays into Hollywood outside of WWE studios, and thankfully this one was better, and more successful than his other movie from 2006: Southland Tales.

Raise your hand if you endured that one.

Me too, and I'm sorry for your loss.

But you see the chemistry and charisma and Johnson lights up the screen whenever he's there. The guy is a natural, and it's been fun watching his career move from the ring to the screen with occasional forays back to the squared circle to relive past glories.

Be forewarned, while this could be a film that is viewable for the entire family, this isn't a sugary sweet Mighty Ducks type of affair.

I had forgotten how violent the movie starts out with, and the violence is targeted at kids.

But that's also life in some streets in America.

Worth a viewing or a revisit if you haven't seen it in some time.

Currently streaming on Netflix as of this writing.

Final Grade:  C+

Let's Get Ready to Rumble..."The Condemned 2"

The Condemned 2 (2015)

Rated R

Starring Randy Orton, Eric Roberts

Directed by Roel Reine

The Story:

Will Tanner (Orton) is a bounty hunter. When a fugitive winds up dead, Tanner winds up in court and he is lucky to not be sent to prison. However, the fugitive's brother wants revenge, and in a high stake gambling match that pits Tanner against his old crew in a fight to the death, Will has little choice but to fight, or die!

Almost a decade ago, WWE Studios released The Condemned. The premise: 10 felons are left alone on an island and fight to the death. To the winner-freedom. And it's all televised across the world and it's a ratings smash!

I'm sure one of these years when Survivor's ratings are tanking, they will employ this strategy.

WWE  continues to pave the way!

:)

Randy Orton once again gets to be the star, having already been in the 12 Rounds franchise.

I think he needs to take a crack at The Marine in order to headline all of WWEs franchises. :)

Anyway, he does a fine and believable job. Eric Roberts tags along and has some fun as the dad who is hard on his son, but would do anything to help him.

All in all, the premise is actually pretty good, and WWE Studios continues to crank out modest hits that aren't too bad at all.

Nice to help bridge the gap into the movies for the wrestlers as they wind down their in-ring and prepare for life after the squared circle.

It's worked out pretty well for a lot of them, 1 of which will be in tomorrow's review.

Final Grade: C+

You Weren't Expecting A Trilogy..."12 Rounds 3: Lockdown"

12 Rounds 3: Lockdown

Rated

Starring Dean Ambrose, Roger R. Cross, Daniel Cudmore, Lochlyn Monroe, Ty Olsson

Directed by Stephen Reynolds

The Story:

Detective Shaw (Ambrose) returns to work after recovering from a gunshot wound. On his first day back, he receives evidence that shows that his former partner and several other cops in his precinct are dirty. When the building goes into lockdown, it's Shaw all alone against a band of rogue cops out to silence him.

Dean Ambrose (Jonathan Good) takes over the 12 Rounds franchise for WWE Studios.

All things considered, that's a pretty big deal since he is following in John Cena and Randy Orton's footsteps, and both have been the top dog in the WWE at one point or another.

Ambrose is on his way, but before he gets to the top of that mountain, he's going to conquer the world of movies first.

And he actually does a pretty good job.

His persona in the ring is a little more stabilized in the movie, but not much. The other difference, whereas the other installments had the hero running to fulfill 12 different tasks or DIE!, this sequel is so named because all Shaw has in his gun to stop the bad guys are...

12 rounds!

If there is any real disservice done in this film, it's WWE Studios not bringing in any "name or face" actors who can help elevate the film.

If a hero is only as good as his villain(s), Ambrose isn't given a whole lot to work with, though they try their best to provide an "Assault on Precinct Die Hard" mashup.

For a low-budget action romp, it's not bad though, and Ambrose could easily transition to the screen ala Rowdy Roddy Piper when he decides to hang up the boots for good (or the next time he is out of commission thanks to an injury).

Final Grade: C+

The Miz Wants To Be An Awesome "Santa's Little Helper"

Santa's Little Helper (2015)

Rated PG

Starring Mike "The Miz" Mizanin, Paige, AnnaLynne McCord, Eric Keenleyside

Directed by Gil Junger

The Story:

Dax (Mizanin) gets fired from his cutthroat job the week before Christmas and is about to lose everything he has. Santa (Keenleyside) sees something in Dax and sends an elf named Billie (McCord) to put Dax through a series of tests. If Dax should succeed, there's a spot for him at the North Pole as Santa's next in command, a spot that another elf (Paige) thinks belongs to her.

WWE Studios is at it again, with another direct to DVD feature in time for the holidays.

Like last year's Jingle All The Way 2, there's nothing inherently wrong with the feature, it feels very much like a made for television movie, and sometimes during this time of year, that's exactly what you want or need to bring the family together while you deck the halls and all that stuff.

I'm just happy to rebound from the loser Christmas movies I'd been getting from Netflix, and was pleased that this movie didn't suck.

:)

Naturally, there will be contrary opinions out there, but I've rarely had any dislike for anything put out by WWE Studios. They are often paint by numbers films, but when you have a formula that works, unless  you're a game changing actor/director/studio, you go with what's safe, what works, and what audiences and your assemblage feels comfortable with.

That said, while The Miz doesn't get a lot of love in the ring lately with WWE, there's no denying the fact that Mike is a natural in front of  the camera and continues to be WWEs poster boy for making movies. Now in his second Christmas film, his role is much expanded than it was in the ABC Family film Christmas Bounty where he was a secondary film. No, Miz gets to carry most of the film and he proves up to the challenge.

Much like the persona he has in the ring, there's really nothing to like or care about in Dax, yet as the layers get peeled back, you hope he succeeds in his quest.

By the time the credits role, all is well on screen and you won't feel miserable for having watched this one.

Final Grade: C+

Ho Ho Ho...Here We Go! "Jingle All The Way 2"

Jingle All The Way 2 (2014)

Rated PG

Starring Larry the Cable Guy, Santino Marelli, Brian Stepanek, Kennedi Clements,

Director: Alex Zamm

The Story:

Larry (the Cable Guy) is in a pickle this holiday season. His daughter Noel (Clements) won't tell him what she wants, but will mail her deepest desire to Santa. Larry has been watching her new step-dad (Stepanek) give her everything he never could, and it's eating him up. So perhaps opening just one little letter will give Larry the advantage he needs to win back his daughter's love.

A sequel in name only, since Larry replacing Schwarzenegger seems highly improbable, this direct to DVD offering isn't as bad as you might fear or suspect.

Of course, I was also no great fan of the original Jingle All The Way, so adjust your review reading accordingly.

If you're a fan or can at least tolerate Larry, then you're going to be able to sit through this film with little to no pain at all.

If you find Larry to be overdone and tiresome, then you're likely in for the longest night of your life.

Me?

I have no problems with Larry, he's funny, and he seems sincerely genuine as an affable goof with a good heart.

In a way, this sequel also outdoes the original because in the original, the kid really did want the toy.

In this one, the toy is wanted by the parents out of a misunderstanding.

It's cute, it's sweet and fun.

While I'm not going to rush out and buy it, I'll commend WWE Studios for snapping up the franchise and trying to do something with it.

If pressed to watch a Jingle All The Way during the holidays, I would opt for this one over the original.

Final Grade: C

Whatchoo Gonna Doo, Brother? "Scooby Doo! Wrestlemania Mystery"

Scooby Doo! Wrestlemania Mystery (2014)

Not Rated

Starring Frank Welker, Matthew Lillard, Mindy Cohn, Grey DeLisle, John Cena, Triple H, Michael Cole, Kane, The Miz, A.J. Lee, Vince McMahon

Directed by Brandon Vietti

The Story:

Scooby (Welker) ends up winning a contest on a WWE video game and wins a trip to WWE City!  Shaggy (Lillard) an Scooby beg for the gang to tag along, bringing much persuasive evidence that they've never asked for anything in return and have always been used as bait to solve mysteries. 

Point: Scooby & Shaggy!

So they head to WWE City and meet the superstars.  But with a mysterious ghost bear plaguing the town, and Scooby apparently the prime suspect in the theft of the WWE Championship, it's up to Shaggy, Fred (Welker), Daphne (DeLisle) and Velma (Cohn) to clear their canine companion and lay the smackdown on the mysterious bear!

Hanna Barbera teams with WWE Studios to make a movie that's fun for the whole family.

WWE Wrestlers have been compared to cartoons over the years, so it makes sense to go animated.

Hook kids to the fun of WWE, and you might have a fan for life.

Worked on me.

:)

And the WWE offered up some of their best, A-listers John Cena, Triple H and even the Chairman himself, Vince McMahon!

Other wrestlers, like Sin Cara (who is instrumental to the movie) are shown but not given any dialogue.

The wrestlers do quite fine for themselves as voice actors, given the respective size and importance of their roles.  I would say The Miz comes out as the wrestler who seemingly has the most fun in the movie, and has the best lines.

But first and foremost, as the title suggests, this is a Scooby Doo cartoon.

Frank Welker leads the team, still as the intrepid Fred but now also pulling double duty as Scooby.  He is able to differentiate between the two nicely, and I like when the voices are distinct enough that you don't realize it's the same voice.

Lillard was perfectly cast as a live-action Shaggy when Scooby Doo came to the big screen years ago.  He does the memory of Casey Kasem proud as he brings Shaggy to life for a new generation.

While I mentioned in my Scooby Doo review that the main cast did voices for years, eventually they all get replaced.

:(

DeLisle has become the latest Daphne, and I was amused to see that Cohn has taken up the mantle of Velma since the early 2000s.  Yes, Natalie from The Facts of Life.

My childhood is converging as I am now an adult!

Overall, I thought it was pretty well done, and I'm looking forward to the next 45 years of Scooby Doo!

Final Grade: Solid B

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: Hey, I liked it.  I would watch it again. :)

"The Rundown" - The Humble Beginnings Of An Action Star

The Rundown (2003)
Rated PG-13 for language and violence

Starring: Dwayne Johnson, Seann William Scott, Christopher Walken, Rosario Dawson

Directed by Peter Berg

The Story:

Beck (Johnson)  is a bounty hunter who wants to get out of his line of work and become a chef.  If he takes one last job, to bring back the boss's son, Travis (Scott) from the Amazon, he'll get his money, and be free to go.

What could possibly go wrong?

Ah, the Rock's first film, free from the Mummy-verse, this was the 2nd production offering from the newly created WWE Studios.

This is one that's a guilty pleasure that I usually leave on if I'm surfing through channels and stumble across it.

The Rock gets off to a great start as an action hero, even getting the proverbial passing of the torch from Ah-nuhld at the very beginning of the film.

Seann William Scott is annoyingly hilarious as the 2nd half of the proven successful buddy cop/partner film.  The oil to the Rock's water.

Great B Movie fun, enhanced by Christopher Walken chewing up the Amazon as the bad guy who's making life difficult for both of the guys.

The fight scenes are impressive and very well-choreographed.

Peter Berg is a very underrated director in my opinion.

The running time is just about perfect, just over 90 minutes, and there's really never any dull moments.

I hear rumors that a sequel is in the works.

About time.

:)

Final Grade: A-

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: I own it, and I try and watch it at least once a year.

Need For Speed Weekend: "Getaway"

Getaway (2013)
Rated PG-13 - Language

Starring: Ethan Hawke, Selena Gomez, Jon Voight

Directed by: Courtney Solomon

The Story:

Brent Magna (Hawke) is an ex-race car driver.  He lives in Bulgaria now with his wife.  He comes home to find she's been kidnapped and he must steal a car and follow instructions to complete several tasks if he hopes to see her alive again.  When the kid (Gomez) that owns the car tracks him down, she becomes his unwilling accomplice, putting her computer hacker skills to good use to try and save them both from their mysterious captor.  Will they succeed and save the abducted wife, or will they all wind up dead?

I couldn't put my finger on where I've seen this movie before.

Then about halfway through, it hit me: 12 Rounds.  Or 12 Rounds-Reloaded.

It's True...it's True!

:)

When you start remaking WWE Studios projects, you know you're reaching for artistic heights.

;)

However, this movie is purely speaking, a B movie that knows it, and lives it.

Heck, when the movie takes place solely in the car as they race from the cops to try and pull off the next caper, the movie is rather engaging.

Part of that would be due to the fact that they strap mini cameras all over the inside/outside of the car, so you really get some good car chase footage through the streets.

Plus, many of the stunts are very well done and keep you riveted to the screen.

What Are The Odds For An Academy Award?

It's when the dialogue focuses on the two captives that the movie is just silly.

It's a quick 90 minutes of fluff that goes down easy.

Final Grade: C+
Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: I could watch it again someday, no time soon, but if I was channel surfing on a slow weekend someday, I could let it ride.

Not The Best Title, But "Dead Man Down" Isn't Half Bad...

Whooooo are you? Who? Who? Who? Who?

The Story:

Victor (Colin Farrell) is a thug working for a local crime  boss, Alphonse (Terrence Howard).  Well, it seems someone is threatening Alphonse and is slowly, systematically killing off Alphonse's people and the noose is tightening.  Meanwhile, a neighbor (Noomi Rapace) has seen first-hand what Victor can do, and she wants him to eliminate a man who caused her to become disfigured, or she'll go to the cops.  This puts Victor and all of his plans in jeopardy.

What will Victor do?

Revenge is a dish best served cold.

And WWE Studios is cranking out some really decent low-budget fare lately.  They are at it again with a nice little action thriller with their biggest star to date (Colin Farrell) before they made The Call with Halle.

Plus, they actually used a wrestler this time out, Wade Barrett, and he does just fine in his teensy weensy role.

Honestly?  It works, more than it doesn't.  Some of the parts drag, but that's what 1.5x on the PS3 allows you to zip through that and get back to the good stuff.

:)

The scenes with Farrell and Howard are dynamic and exciting. 

As for Noomi... zzzz... she's actually the least interesting part of the film. 

It's funny, the movie is really set up rather intricately compared to what you may (or may not ) have seen in the trailer, which seems that she is asking Victor to kill Alphonse for disfiguring her.  Couldn't be farther from the truth, but that the clips could be spliced that way was really clever.

No, it turns out that Victor has much deeper reasoning for wanting to bring down Alphonse, and goes through very elaborate measures to do so...

Only to have the girl muck it up at the end.

Thankfully, they salvaged it, and it didn't end up like the last Farrell movie (London Boulevard) that was interesting all the way up until the end, and then it derailed.

Final Grade: C+

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: I could, but I doubt I will. ; )

WWEekend Movies: The Sequel You Demanded..."12 Rounds: Reloaded"

I hear voices in my head...

The Story:

Nick Malloy (Randy Orton) is an EMT who witnesses an accident.  He jumps into action and attempts to save the occupants of both vehicles.  He gets Heller (Brian Markinson) out of the first car, and Tommy (Ted Stevens) out of the second, but Nick cannot free Heller's wife who dies that night.  A year later, Nick gets a cryptic call from someone (pssst, it's Heller) who is unhappy with what transpired a year earlier, and he's going to make everyone pay for it.  He sets up 12 challenges for Nick, and if he survives, he lives!  If not...well, Heller is going to kill his wife, and lots of other people.

Not. That. Bad.

If you want to boil down a WWE Studios film review, you could do a lot worse than this.

I went in with the bar set very low, as I could barely remember the original 12 Rounds, other than that I saw it, and John Cena was the star.  I watched it again later just to see what I had missed.  But you already know that if you read yesterday's review!

Instead, this film is paced very nicely, and the 90 minutes literally flies by.

Is it a great movie? No, but it is competent and well executed from start to finish.

Randy Orton isn't much of an actor, but for that matter, neither are most of Vince's wrestlers.  Luckily, Randy's charisma and presence carry him through the film on his natural energy alone.  He doesn't do a bad job though, and when these guys do finally hang up their tights, Vince has created a small cottage industry for his stars to keep filming low-budget action flicks after they move on from the squared circle.

There were a few minor glitches in the film, Randy Orton falling out of the back of a car, they really need to do a better editing job to hide the stuntmen. 

The most amusing part... I had no idea that EMTs drive around the city waiting for a call, like the police?!  Maybe in large metropolitan cities, but somehow, I still doubt that.

: )

If choosing which 12 Rounds to endure again, I'd take this one over the original.

Final Grade: B-

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: I could watch it again, but won't go actively searching to add it to the library.  Maybe when WWEShop.com puts it on clearance? :)

WWEekend Movies: Get Ready to Go "12 Rounds" With The Champ!

You can't see me...

The Story:

Danny (John Cena) is a New Orleans cop who gets promoted to detective when he takes down a terrorist, Miles Jackson (Aiden Gillen).  The only problem, Miles' girlfriend gets caught in the crossfire, and he blames Danny for her death.  One year later, Miles gets free, and Danny's house explodes!  It seems Miles has a series of 12 tasks for Danny to tackle if he wants to see his wife alive again.  Can Danny survive all 12 rounds, save his wife and take down the bad guy?

Yeah... it's John Cena, remember?!

: )

2009, and WWE Studios decides to give John Cena another crack at stardom.  It's not a bad effort at all, and perhaps a bit better than The Marine.  I can't recall, it's been a few years since I last saw that one.

Cena is a bit more at ease behind the camera, letting his natural ability and charisma to carry him through the action.  The story itself is a good one, reminiscent of Die Hard 3, which is always a good thing.

Lending Cena a hand behind the camera is Renny Harlin.  People can mock his body of work, but when he does a good film, it's really very good.  He is a firm believer in reality over CGI, and that's a refreshing change and carries over on the big screen.

But let's be honest, most things coming out of Vince McMahon's studio is going to be seen on the small screen, however, that may be for the best.

The action and pacing is good, and very little wasted time and effort from start to finish.

It's a nice budget action flick...no complaints.

Final Grade: C+... borderline B-

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor:  It's been over 5 years... not going to be buying it but if I stumble across it again in a few years, why not?

"The Reunion" is the Perfect Place to See Family You Can't Stand

You only hate the ones you love.

The Story:

Sam (John Cena) and Leo (Ethan Embry) are brothers who hate each other.  Sam's a cop...Leo's a bail bondsman.  They are brought back together by their sister, Nina(Amy Smart) when their father dies.  She introduces them to their half-brother, Douglas (Boyd Holbrook) whom they've never heard of, and who is a thief by trade.  Nina informs them that it was their dad's dying wish that the boys all work together in a family business, and if they could do that for 2 years, they would inherit a windfall.  However, Nina may not have actually been truthful with her brothers.

This could have been the turning point for WWE Films as a studio. 

Again, John Cena takes center stage, but they don't rely on him to carry the action of the film, like they did with him in The Marine.  Instead, they develop the other characters and have actual actors help shoulder the burden and allow Cena to simply be one of the characters, instead of "The Star".

The results?

Actually, a pretty amusing/dramatic action flick that knows when to have fun and when to build tension.  The interplay between the family works as they banter, bicker and flat out brawl.  However, like all families, when push comes to shove, only they have permission to pick on each other. 


That's how family works!

Granted, it's no Academy Award winner, but it's a 90 minute diversion of entertainment, and that is why they make movies.

Final Grade: B-

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor:  A definite rewatchable for me, and if I find it on sale, why not?

Don't Hang Up...You Need to Answer "The Call"

Don't hang up...

The Story:

Jordan Turner (Halle Berry) is a 9-1-1 operator.  One night she takes a frantic call from a girl who thinks someone is in her house.  The call gets disconnected, so Jordan calls back.  Sadly, the killer (Michael Eklund) hears the phone ring, finds the girl, and tells Jordan that it's too late for the cops to do anything, and kills the girl.  Obviously shaken, Jordan cannot dispatch any longer.  She now trains the new operators, and happens to be conducting training when another call from another girl, Casey, (Abigail Breslin) comes in.  The operator doesn't know what to do, and Jordan takes over.  She tries to calm her, but when she discovers that it is the same guy from the other call, Jordan cannot rest until she finds Casey.

This wasn't that bad of a movie.

Again, WWE Studios plays it smart by hiring real actors including Morris Chestnut and Micahel Imperioli to round out the cast, while slipping in a wrestler, David Otunga, who doesn't embarrass himself onscreen. 

I use the word "wrestler" loosely in Otunga's case.

:)

In fact, the movie crackles along fairly well for the first 2/3rds of the movie.  It's rather tense pacing and believable enough that you care for both women on each end of the phone.

After watching the movie, I think I have come to the conclusion that 911 operators probably do have one of the worst jobs in the world!  Talk about hectic and stressful.

The wheels slightly come off at the very end when this operator goes out to find the bad guy and confront him...alone!

Come on, really?

Fair enough, I see what they are going for, and the end is actually rather amusing because of what and how they did it.

But for that moment when Jordan takes to the streets, the movie suddenly grabs all the silly clichés and puts them on display.

Otherwise though, not too bad.

Final Grade: B-

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: I don't think I would mind watching it again someday, but I'm in no hurry to add it to the collection.