Four Brothers
1.5/4
Starring: Mark Wahlberg, Tyrese Gibson, Andre Benjamin, Garrett Hedlund, Terrence Howard, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Josh Charles, Sofia Vergara, Fionnula Flanagan
Rated R for Strong Violence, Pervasive Language and Some Sexual Content
Few things are more depressing for a film critic than a movie that has the potential to be something far greater than it actually is. The list of movies that botched a great premise is long. "Crimson Tide," "Leatherheads," "Children of the Corn," and "Possession" are a few examples from my list of reviews. And there are plenty off others. Add John Singleton's "Four Brothers" to that list.
John Singleton's movie "Four Brothers" had the potential to be a powerful crime thriller about revenge or family ties. But while there are times when it dives into that bleakness, more often than not is a formulaic revenge story featuring plastic characters and a rushed storyline. Actually, there are times when Singleton seems to thing that this is a lighthearted caper movie (a descriptor that I use with reservations because none of these scenes actually land).
The Mercer brothers were adopted by their foster mother, Evelyn (Flannagan). They are the hotheaded Bobby (Wahlberg), con-man and ex-soldier Angel (Gibson), family man Jeremiah (Benjamin) and rock star wannabe Jack (Hedlund). They were all problem children to the extreme, so instead of shipping them off the new families, the saintly Evelyn adopted them as her own. Now, she's dead, the victim of a grocery store hold up. The Mercer brothers vow revenge, but things aren't what they seem.
There's very little that's worthy of praise in this movie. The performances are flat. The storyline, apart from having a few interesting twists in the third quarter, is not particularly interesting. The characters are not very likable, and even worse, uninteresting. The script is awful. The film is rushed and superficial, and the tone varies wildly from scene to scene. About the only thing that is good is that the film's cinematography, by Peter Menzies, Jr., is effectively bleak (which makes the lighthearted scenes not only awkward, but feel like a slap in the face).
The acting is, at best, flat, and at worst, irritating. Mark Wahlberg is okay as Bobby, although this is a role he could do in his sleep and it's plainly obvious that his heart isn't in it. Tyrese Gibson, who has worked with Singleton in two other films ("Baby Boy" and "2 Fast 2 Furious") is forgettable. Andre Benjamin is an even bigger nonentity. Garrett Hedlund, a talented up and coming actor, has almost nothing to do (he is however, front and center in the film's most effective, if obligatory, scene). Terrence Howard gives the best performance as the sympathetic cop who knows the Mercers are up to something, although it would take a truly incompetent director to muzzle his talent (let's hope he never works for Wes Anderson). This year's Oscar frontrunner Chiwetel Ejiofor is vicious enough, at least until the end. Josh Charles is alternately flat and malevolent. Fionnula Flanagan is good enough to make her presence felt in the film, but she's not trying very hard. And Sofia Vergara is simply annoying.
In 1991, a new urban drama called "Boyz N The Hood" took Hollywood by storm, garnering 2 Oscar nominations and becoming the most financially successful film of that year (in terms of investment...$56.1 million from a $6.5 million budget). Since then, Singleton has struggled to find his footing again. Apart from a few other films, he directed "2 Fast 2 Furious" (unseen by me), "Rosewood" (another missed opportunity due to mixed tone and a bad script), and the awful Taylor Lautner debacle "Abduction." I haven't seen "Boyz N The Hood" yet, but if it's as good as its reputation suggests, then this is just another aberration on Singleton's resume.
Starring: Mark Wahlberg, Tyrese Gibson, Andre Benjamin, Garrett Hedlund, Terrence Howard, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Josh Charles, Sofia Vergara, Fionnula Flanagan
Rated R for Strong Violence, Pervasive Language and Some Sexual Content
Few things are more depressing for a film critic than a movie that has the potential to be something far greater than it actually is. The list of movies that botched a great premise is long. "Crimson Tide," "Leatherheads," "Children of the Corn," and "Possession" are a few examples from my list of reviews. And there are plenty off others. Add John Singleton's "Four Brothers" to that list.
John Singleton's movie "Four Brothers" had the potential to be a powerful crime thriller about revenge or family ties. But while there are times when it dives into that bleakness, more often than not is a formulaic revenge story featuring plastic characters and a rushed storyline. Actually, there are times when Singleton seems to thing that this is a lighthearted caper movie (a descriptor that I use with reservations because none of these scenes actually land).
The Mercer brothers were adopted by their foster mother, Evelyn (Flannagan). They are the hotheaded Bobby (Wahlberg), con-man and ex-soldier Angel (Gibson), family man Jeremiah (Benjamin) and rock star wannabe Jack (Hedlund). They were all problem children to the extreme, so instead of shipping them off the new families, the saintly Evelyn adopted them as her own. Now, she's dead, the victim of a grocery store hold up. The Mercer brothers vow revenge, but things aren't what they seem.
There's very little that's worthy of praise in this movie. The performances are flat. The storyline, apart from having a few interesting twists in the third quarter, is not particularly interesting. The characters are not very likable, and even worse, uninteresting. The script is awful. The film is rushed and superficial, and the tone varies wildly from scene to scene. About the only thing that is good is that the film's cinematography, by Peter Menzies, Jr., is effectively bleak (which makes the lighthearted scenes not only awkward, but feel like a slap in the face).
The acting is, at best, flat, and at worst, irritating. Mark Wahlberg is okay as Bobby, although this is a role he could do in his sleep and it's plainly obvious that his heart isn't in it. Tyrese Gibson, who has worked with Singleton in two other films ("Baby Boy" and "2 Fast 2 Furious") is forgettable. Andre Benjamin is an even bigger nonentity. Garrett Hedlund, a talented up and coming actor, has almost nothing to do (he is however, front and center in the film's most effective, if obligatory, scene). Terrence Howard gives the best performance as the sympathetic cop who knows the Mercers are up to something, although it would take a truly incompetent director to muzzle his talent (let's hope he never works for Wes Anderson). This year's Oscar frontrunner Chiwetel Ejiofor is vicious enough, at least until the end. Josh Charles is alternately flat and malevolent. Fionnula Flanagan is good enough to make her presence felt in the film, but she's not trying very hard. And Sofia Vergara is simply annoying.
In 1991, a new urban drama called "Boyz N The Hood" took Hollywood by storm, garnering 2 Oscar nominations and becoming the most financially successful film of that year (in terms of investment...$56.1 million from a $6.5 million budget). Since then, Singleton has struggled to find his footing again. Apart from a few other films, he directed "2 Fast 2 Furious" (unseen by me), "Rosewood" (another missed opportunity due to mixed tone and a bad script), and the awful Taylor Lautner debacle "Abduction." I haven't seen "Boyz N The Hood" yet, but if it's as good as its reputation suggests, then this is just another aberration on Singleton's resume.
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