2 Guns: Movie Review
Starring: Denzel Washington, Mark Wahlberg, Paula Patton, Edward James Olmos, James Marsden (Rated MA – 109 min).
Plenty of fast-paced dusty adventure in Mexico and the good company of certified stars with chemistry elevates 2 Guns to a much higher entertainment grade than it deserves.
Wahlberg and Washington are partners in crime – we first meet them at the start of the film while preparing to orchestrate a bank heist. Their continuous banter and jokey attitude keeps things interesting but what they don’t know about each other yet might just change a few things. It turns out, one is DEA, the other naval intelligence, both undercover and both after the same drug cartel dealer. The pair keep up the charade around the bad guys, however, behind the scenes their relationship shifts into a more personable mode. One likes to think ahead and keep to himself, the other is all out stoked to have an official crime fighting comrade living in the moment.
Breaching conventional storylines, there are double crosses galore, not one but two villains and a crazy naval officer intent on instant justice. The boys mostly shoot first, ask comical questions later, in an overly violent escapade that lovers of senseless ‘Expendables’ old school action may enjoy. Bill Paxton (Boxing Helena, Aliens) is brilliant as an outrageously creepy, passive-aggressive individual that nobody is too sure which side of the law his elegance lays.
Simply sexy Paula Patton extends the success of her unforgettable glamorous turn in Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol, to be equally as smoking hot as she is a terrific actress. It was also lovely to see screen veteran’s Fred Ward (Short Cuts, The Right Stuff) in a small role and former Miami Vice lieutenant Edward James Olmos kick butt as a feared drug lord.
Has its moments, a stampede of bulls creates havoc and was quite well filmed, plenty of things blow up too but if it wasn’t for the unlikely cast combination, this would probably go straight to DVD.
Shane A. Bassett
@Movie_Analyst