4/10/12

Lockout

Luc Besson ("The Professional") is known internationally as a masterful screenwriter, director and producer of witty, gritty action flicks. As a result, this Besson-written and produced PG-13 film is specifically for fans of witty gritty action flicks! We see non-stop action with no sweaty bodies, no profanity, lots of grit, gunfire and blowie uppie stuff, and as for wit... the flimsy plot is laughable.

As expected in a Besson flick, we are quickly thrown into a (CGI) action-filled opening sequence in an unnamed city; the remainder of the witty gritty action takes place in a high-security prison facility orbiting Earth. Prisoners are placed in stasis and "stored" for the duration of their sentences. Problem is, they are hard-core offenders and the lengthy suspended animation tends to cause mental disorders. This means by the time they revolt and take over the prison, most of them are bonkers.

These witty, gritty folks try to make it happen:
  • Guy Pearce ("The King's Speech") is witty as Snow, wrongfully convicted of espionage, sent to retrieve information about a mysterious briefcase which seems to contain something impor- tant. Some of his terse one- and two-word responses made me laugh out loud.
  • Vincent Regan ("Snow White and the Huntsman") is gritty as Alex, leader of the prison rebellion. He is NOT witty.
  • Maggie Grace ("Knight and Day") is pretty as Emilie, a doctor trying to investigate the effects of stasis on the prisoners; she is taken hostage. Oh, she is also the daughter of the President.
  • Joseph Gilgun (Lots of TV) is downright sh**ty as Hydell, nutso brother of the rebels' leader. His creepy behavior even upsets the revolting prisoners!
Much of the action consists of running through dark metallic corridors, dodging bullets, ducking through airlocks, and climbing up ductwork. It gives us ample time to admire Guy Pearce's newly bulked-up body; it makes him look like one of the Wahlbergs. Not a bad thing...

Did I mention there is a LOT of action? And wit? And grit?

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Please forgive the ad before the trailer:
http://www.imdb.com/video/screenplay/vi2397675801/
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