Two icons of 70s and 80s action, Sylvester Stallone and Walter Hill, finally team up in a rather flat version of a graphic novel. I haven't read the novel but the film has some of the simplistic plotting and stock nihilism found in works of that genre... though, to be fair, they're also found in too many straight to DVD action movies of the 90s. There's the assassin teaming up with the hit man, some corrupt cops (yawn), and corrupt politicians.
Stallone is in decent form in the lead, although his hair was annoying - it looks like a wig (I'm not saying it is, it just looks like it). The problem is the movie is crafted for a co star - a buddy movie (or as Hill says anti-buddy movie) and it's interesting that they give it to an Asian, Sung Kang (and he's a cop too).... but Kang doesn't have the chops to go against Stallone. He's handsome but is bland and uncharismatic and never remotely convincing as a tough guy - he's like an accountant or something. In his defence, he's not helped by the fact that his character is constantly having his metaphorical balls cut off - he is forever losing in encounters with Stallone, or getting knocked out, or being slow. What should have been the story of two equals is one of a star and a dull sidekick. Kang's casting and watered down role is the biggest flaw in the movie. Another is the dopey plot, which involves too many easy killings and falls apart at the first sight of logic.
On the plus side, the New Orleans setting is great (setting something in New Orleans always improves a movie for me), Sarah Shahi is fantastically sexy as Stallone's daughter (a very undercooked, off screen romance with Kang, though), and Jason Momoa makes a wonderful villain - tough, smart, charismatic. They should have given Kang's part to him. (Admittedly his character is better. Although there is this weird plot where the head baddy wants to Momoa because he's beloved by his fellow mercenaries or something... which is a story mistake because it splits the baddies and lessens the pressure on our hero.) There is plenty of action though not much of it is memorable.
There are some throwbacks to earlier Hill works which will please his fans: Cajun music a la Southern Comfort and Johnny Handsome; some dull racial baiting between the leads a la 48 Hours; a finale where the two leads decide to slug it out instead of shoot, a la Streets of Fire (this was kind of sweet... they didn't have the baddy turn down the opportunity to cheat though which was used in Streets and 48 Hours.) Just thinking about it, this movie really should have been about the relationship between Momoa and Stallone - that's the true emotional heart of the film, two warriors in their cause.
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