Collateral Damage
2/4
Starring: Arnold Schwarzenegger, Cliff Curtis, Elias Koteas, Miguel Sandoval, Francesca Neri
Rated R for Violence and Some Language
"Collateral Damage" was one of many casualties of 9/11. Originally scheduled to be released on October 5, 2001, Warner Bros. re-edited the film and delayed its release until February 2002, correctly believing that no one on Earth would want to see a movie about terrorism so soon after the worst terrorist attack in human history. Even if it's a silly yarn starring Arnold Schwarzenegger. This little factoid is the only thing worth noting about this bland action movie, since it has nothing else worth mentioning.
Gordy Brewer (Schwarzenegger) is a fireman, husband and father. After his wife and son are murdered in a terrorist attack perpetrated by a Columbian rebel known as "The Wolf" (Curtis), Gordy sets out on a mission of revenge. It won't be easy, since just about everyone from a sleazy CIA operative named Brandt (Koteas) and the Wolf himself want Gordy kidnapped or dead for their own purposes.
"Collateral Damage" is not a terrible movie. It's just that its impossible to take any of it seriously. It wants to be an intelligent thriller about terrorism, but it's constantly pandering to an audience with an IQ in the double digits. There are so many leaps in logic that it boggles the mind. Gordy's quest only happens because both Brandt and another agent, Phipps (Sandoval), give him information that any normal agents wouldn't tell each other, much less a civilian. It's also hard to care about the plot since so little time is spent developing its foundation. There's little context given to the motives of the Columbian rebels, which makes the film lack immediacy. We're given no reason to care about anyone in this movie.
Arnold Schwarzenegger is miscast. The action movie legend doesn't have a lot of range; he's best in roles that emphasize his screen presence and comic timing. Playing the everyman is not something he can do. He's too imposing a figure. And he certainly can't handle heavy drama. His nemesis, Cliff Curtis, isn't much better. Curtis is a solid enough character actor, but The Wolf is written so badly that he comes across as cartoonish. He's about as threatening as a Labrador Retriever. The obligatory woman, Francesca Neri, is just awful. Rarely is she ever convincing. Elias Koteas is in full "take the money and run" mode on his way to his next project with Atom Egoyan. Brief appearances by John Turturro. John Leguizamo, Jsu Garcia (from "A Nightmare on Elm Street"), and in a very small role, a pre-famous Jane Lynch.
This movie doesn't even succeed as stupid fun. The action scenes, the few of them there are, are muted. Director Andrew Davis (who made "The Fugitive" movie with Harrison Ford and Tommy Lee Jones) can't decide whether he's making a brainless action flick or something along the lines of "The Siege." The plot is serious but dumb, and the action scenes are muted and lacking adrenaline. And for a budget of $85 million, the special effects are unacceptably cheesy. They're awful.
At least its watchable, which is more than can be said for a lot of bad action movies. The scenes following the bombing are eerily credible, and the climactic twist, ludicrous as it is, works. Ultimately though, it's just a forgettable action movie that is only worth remembering because of its unfortunate association with a terrible tragedy
Starring: Arnold Schwarzenegger, Cliff Curtis, Elias Koteas, Miguel Sandoval, Francesca Neri
Rated R for Violence and Some Language
"Collateral Damage" was one of many casualties of 9/11. Originally scheduled to be released on October 5, 2001, Warner Bros. re-edited the film and delayed its release until February 2002, correctly believing that no one on Earth would want to see a movie about terrorism so soon after the worst terrorist attack in human history. Even if it's a silly yarn starring Arnold Schwarzenegger. This little factoid is the only thing worth noting about this bland action movie, since it has nothing else worth mentioning.
Gordy Brewer (Schwarzenegger) is a fireman, husband and father. After his wife and son are murdered in a terrorist attack perpetrated by a Columbian rebel known as "The Wolf" (Curtis), Gordy sets out on a mission of revenge. It won't be easy, since just about everyone from a sleazy CIA operative named Brandt (Koteas) and the Wolf himself want Gordy kidnapped or dead for their own purposes.
"Collateral Damage" is not a terrible movie. It's just that its impossible to take any of it seriously. It wants to be an intelligent thriller about terrorism, but it's constantly pandering to an audience with an IQ in the double digits. There are so many leaps in logic that it boggles the mind. Gordy's quest only happens because both Brandt and another agent, Phipps (Sandoval), give him information that any normal agents wouldn't tell each other, much less a civilian. It's also hard to care about the plot since so little time is spent developing its foundation. There's little context given to the motives of the Columbian rebels, which makes the film lack immediacy. We're given no reason to care about anyone in this movie.
Arnold Schwarzenegger is miscast. The action movie legend doesn't have a lot of range; he's best in roles that emphasize his screen presence and comic timing. Playing the everyman is not something he can do. He's too imposing a figure. And he certainly can't handle heavy drama. His nemesis, Cliff Curtis, isn't much better. Curtis is a solid enough character actor, but The Wolf is written so badly that he comes across as cartoonish. He's about as threatening as a Labrador Retriever. The obligatory woman, Francesca Neri, is just awful. Rarely is she ever convincing. Elias Koteas is in full "take the money and run" mode on his way to his next project with Atom Egoyan. Brief appearances by John Turturro. John Leguizamo, Jsu Garcia (from "A Nightmare on Elm Street"), and in a very small role, a pre-famous Jane Lynch.
This movie doesn't even succeed as stupid fun. The action scenes, the few of them there are, are muted. Director Andrew Davis (who made "The Fugitive" movie with Harrison Ford and Tommy Lee Jones) can't decide whether he's making a brainless action flick or something along the lines of "The Siege." The plot is serious but dumb, and the action scenes are muted and lacking adrenaline. And for a budget of $85 million, the special effects are unacceptably cheesy. They're awful.
At least its watchable, which is more than can be said for a lot of bad action movies. The scenes following the bombing are eerily credible, and the climactic twist, ludicrous as it is, works. Ultimately though, it's just a forgettable action movie that is only worth remembering because of its unfortunate association with a terrible tragedy
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