Review Contraband (2012)

genre: action, thriller, crime, heist

No matter how you look at it Contraband is average. So average even that I think it is not worth watching at all unless you really have nothing better to do like counting grey hairs, watching wet paint dry on the wall or something similar. Please forgive my sarcasm. It wasn't that bad. I have to admit that there are brief moments that are thrilling. Which could be the magic word to describe the whole movie apart from the length which for some reason is not brief at all. Every element that should have been significant is brief and light. Not once was there real drama or something else to justify the events in the movie. OK, there are so many unrealistic and stupid moments that it was hard to take anything seriously. And those moments did make you scream. Especially the actions of a character named Andy. It brought out the mobster in me. At least the fictional mobster that I think I could be if I were capable of acting like one. I think it is improper for me to describe the exact actions. But I can guarantee you it would be so much more interesting than the way they solved this little issue in the movie. Mark Wahlberg is rightfully angry. But one mention of his family being threatened and all is forgiven and forgotten. How disappointing was that. Furthermore there was barely any action in Contraband. The so called heist scene which also provided the one and only shootout was over before you knew it. Humour was also missing and it so needed that especially with those stupid moments I mentioned before. Through some clever (read annoying) editing it seems like a lot is happening on the screen only to realize you have been conned. Mark Wahlberg is not interesting at all. He plays the same character like he did in those other action movies of his. The only ones that truly made good impressions were David O'Hara and J.K. Simmons. And guess what? They both were too brief in it. Kate Beckinsale who was magnificent in Underworld Awakening was the exact opposite in this one. I am not sure if she can be blamed for that because in this case it could be the lack of good direction.Whatever the reason. The end result simply won't do. Contraband is not a movie that will stick. It will be forgotten while watching. Do yourself a favor and skip this one.