vandeveldepaul
Where is the Sean Penn from Mystic River, I am Sam or the Interpreter, etc...
You are the best in strong character roles, not in this kind of movies.
I hope this was a one time mistake.
juneebuggy
I actually liked this one quite a bit once I figured out what was going on, it was a little vague in the beginning. It starts in the Congo, at first I thought Sean Penn was an aid worker but turns out he's an assassin, hired to by some big company to take out the minister of mining so that that company can make the big $$$. The successful kill shot sends Penn into hiding without a word to his lover. 8 years later someone starts taking out the assignation team, he goes on a global chase to figure out who.This (tries) to have a bit of a Jason Bourne feel, with government conspiracy, Interpol, who can I trust and some very decent/competent fight & action scenes. Its also another vehicle for an over 50 action star.On that note Sean Penn is in fantastic shape, like really ripped with zero body fat, showcased with multiple shirtless scenes however as the movie goes on it's too much, like half the movie he is shirtless or sleeveless, showing his abs or just plain naked. It became a bit of a joke actually as the very serious political thriller story is overshadowed by the star's physique.The (unrequited) love story is nothing new, with his lady love (Jasmine Trinca), just another hapless damsel in distress role but I liked it. Javier Bardem is a sleazy, drunk, jealous character, Idris Elba is just hot... I think he worked for Interpol, didn't care just wish he had been on screen more. Worth checking out.
feelinesound
Pretty hard to fathom why this film got such a bad rap in the media while too many cheesy formulaic crowdpleasers from the Hollywood hit factory get 4 and 5 stars from well reputed outlets. This is a smart, superbly cast and extremely well shot international thriller - the sort that rarely gets made these days - and why such an intelligent production that actually aims to be credible and somewhat educative scores so much lower with critics than the endless parade of Bonds and Furious 7's with their ridiculous jumping cars and chewed up one liners, I have no idea. For once the story and script are actually believable, a rarity in modern action cinema, and Penn and Bardem give great performances that are perfectly matched by beautiful dynamic cinematography of a fair few exotic locations.I'm not easy to please with thrillers and action movies but found this one utterly enjoyable.
dansview
Sean Penn did not age well. But I suppose you could say that an old assassin would look weathered. Also, the character is dealing with stuff that took place many years ago when he was younger.Having said that, it was awkward to watch a guy that old and gray portray an indestructible super hero. After all, that's what these type characters are. The Bourne guy, the Taken guy, etc. They know how to do everything and they can't be beaten. Unrealistic yes, but generally fun.There was plenty of action here. It wasn't boring from that standpoint. But like other reviewers said, there simply was not enough of a back story. Who was this guy? We didn't know, and even his girlfriend didn't know. At least show us a scene of them taking a romantic walk somewhere and talking about life. Otherwise we don't see any substance to their relationship. Who was the girl? Where was she from and what motivated her to be a volunteer doctor? Searching the globe for answers to why you are being targeted for assassination, and then beating everyone up along the way, is a tired plot by now. You can keep doing it for lack of better ideas, but at least infuse it with real emotion and history.How many times can Ray Winstone play essentially the same character? Let's get some new faces in these spy flicks. He was the same guy in the remake of Point Break.I turned it off about three quarters of the way through, so I guess for whatever reasons, it couldn't hold my attention. Probably because I felt that the rest was going to be more of the same and I had enough. I really had no feeling for the characters and couldn't care less what happened to them.I will give some credit to Penn for portraying the character as genuinely remorseful for the events that his work triggered.Good pacing, photography, and choreography.
AD
