Mile 22
2/4
Starring: Mark Wahlberg, Iko Uwais, Lauren Cohen, John Malkovich, Ronda Rousey
Rated R for Strong Violence and Language Throughout
"Mile 22" is an action-packed adrenaline cocktail that shoots itself in the foot with its tone. This is a dark, depressing and brutal film, and while that's fine, "Mile 22" is far too absurd and too badly made for this to pay off. This movie simply isn't very fun.
The premise is simple. A last resort team of special operatives led by the volcanic James Silva (Wahlberg) is tasked with transporting a double agent named Li Noor (Uwais) to a plane 22 miles away. A large amount of radioactive cesium has gone missing, and Li knows where it is. He's willing to give it up if they grant him safe passage and asylum to the US. There are a few complications. First, everyone wants Li Noor dead (duh). Second, the information with the location of the cesium is hidden behind a computer program that is counting down to deletion. And finally, the plane has only a ten minute window to pick up Li Noor.
The appeal of "Mile 22" is purely visceral. At least that's the intention. But the film is so loud and so aggressive that it's impossible to truly get invested in anything that happens. Peter Berg's camera shakes so angrily and the film is so frantically cut that I just wanted to make it stop. I thought of the famous bank heist scene in "Heat" while watching this movie, since the majority of this film is like a super long extension of that. It's entirely possible to create beautiful violence while raising the adrenaline and allowing the audience to understand what is going on. But Berg lacks Michael Mann's talent and elegance. Instead of something that makes the heart race and the eyes dazzle, we get something grim, grimy and cynical. At times, "Mile 22" feels like Michael Bay on steroids. Only without the wit.
At least we have Mark Wahlberg. The Boston bad boy-turned-movie star doesn't have great range, but he's capable of good performances ("Ted," "Fear," and "The Perfect Storm" are good examples). He's quite good as an impulsive hothead whose temper and gung ho attitude are very much a liability. He's much more interesting than his overrated turn in "The Departed." Iko Uwais, who got his start in "The Raid: Redemption" (also overrated), is quite good as the mysterious and deadly Li Noor. He's got moves to make Tony Jaa jealous. John Malkovich is on hand as the man behind the scenes, but this isn't the best use of his talents. Still, he's one of those actors where if you can get him in a movie, not much more is needed.
"Mile 22" isn't strong on story. It's often incoherent and not very well thought out. Character development fares even worse; when one of the heroes inevitably dies, it barely provokes a shrug. When narrative and character are relegated to the background, the film needs something, anything, to engage the viewer. That really doesn't happen here.
This is a movie that will leave you angry and motion sick.
Starring: Mark Wahlberg, Iko Uwais, Lauren Cohen, John Malkovich, Ronda Rousey
Rated R for Strong Violence and Language Throughout
"Mile 22" is an action-packed adrenaline cocktail that shoots itself in the foot with its tone. This is a dark, depressing and brutal film, and while that's fine, "Mile 22" is far too absurd and too badly made for this to pay off. This movie simply isn't very fun.
The premise is simple. A last resort team of special operatives led by the volcanic James Silva (Wahlberg) is tasked with transporting a double agent named Li Noor (Uwais) to a plane 22 miles away. A large amount of radioactive cesium has gone missing, and Li knows where it is. He's willing to give it up if they grant him safe passage and asylum to the US. There are a few complications. First, everyone wants Li Noor dead (duh). Second, the information with the location of the cesium is hidden behind a computer program that is counting down to deletion. And finally, the plane has only a ten minute window to pick up Li Noor.
The appeal of "Mile 22" is purely visceral. At least that's the intention. But the film is so loud and so aggressive that it's impossible to truly get invested in anything that happens. Peter Berg's camera shakes so angrily and the film is so frantically cut that I just wanted to make it stop. I thought of the famous bank heist scene in "Heat" while watching this movie, since the majority of this film is like a super long extension of that. It's entirely possible to create beautiful violence while raising the adrenaline and allowing the audience to understand what is going on. But Berg lacks Michael Mann's talent and elegance. Instead of something that makes the heart race and the eyes dazzle, we get something grim, grimy and cynical. At times, "Mile 22" feels like Michael Bay on steroids. Only without the wit.
At least we have Mark Wahlberg. The Boston bad boy-turned-movie star doesn't have great range, but he's capable of good performances ("Ted," "Fear," and "The Perfect Storm" are good examples). He's quite good as an impulsive hothead whose temper and gung ho attitude are very much a liability. He's much more interesting than his overrated turn in "The Departed." Iko Uwais, who got his start in "The Raid: Redemption" (also overrated), is quite good as the mysterious and deadly Li Noor. He's got moves to make Tony Jaa jealous. John Malkovich is on hand as the man behind the scenes, but this isn't the best use of his talents. Still, he's one of those actors where if you can get him in a movie, not much more is needed.
"Mile 22" isn't strong on story. It's often incoherent and not very well thought out. Character development fares even worse; when one of the heroes inevitably dies, it barely provokes a shrug. When narrative and character are relegated to the background, the film needs something, anything, to engage the viewer. That really doesn't happen here.
This is a movie that will leave you angry and motion sick.
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