The second entry in the 12 Rounds franchise wants to be real edgy and full of tension. Instead you will get bored out of your mind.
Sure it has all the ingredients to make one hell of an action thriller if only it weren't for one thing that kills the tension. The probability and plausibility. It's hard to get into this film since the villain sees, hears and controls everything. He must have one super computer and reach to always be able to talk to main character Nick Malloy (played by Randy Orton). I can't even seem to have a good connection in my bedroom when I try to call from there. My home is small so I should not have that much problems with the connection. But I do. In this film this never occurs. In fact the villain can control almost everything from wherever he is set up his control center. In good action thrillers they show the limitations or at least explain why it is possible and plausible for the villain to have control. The good guy then has options to go against it or at least try to. It is what makes it interesting and adds tension. How are you going to offer surprises if paramedic Nick basically does what he is told. Only very briefly we see him resisting and trying to outwit the bad guy. But apart from those moments he follows the instructions and it is never unnerving or thrilling. I could care less about any of the characters since there is hardly any emotional connection to them. The characters are all very bland and Nick is not that interesting. He is no John McClane.*
In the first 12 Rounds the character played by John Cena had very little time to contemplate anything. Every second counted and while far from a masterpiece it did accomplish to put a sense of urgency in the film. Here that is completely absent. Even when for example the clock on a car bomb only has like a few minutes Nick apparently can take his sweet time to get into discussions, fights and other distractions before he reaches his destination. These fights are hardly exciting or nicely choreographed. I was hoping to have some fun with this flick but there was very little to be had. I could not watch this in one sitting. I tried watching this three times and every time I had trouble getting into it. I really had to force myself into finishing this for once and all. And I could not do this without skipping some bits.
Overall even if you like the concept of the 12 Rounds films this entry is poorly done. You are better off watching the first and the third. But do skip this one. You will thank me for it.
*While this has some similarities with Die Hard With a Vengeance this still is not a Die Hard clone. I refuse to accept that.
Also read:
No comments:
Post a Comment