Skip to main content

Jason versus Homefront

I'm an unashamed Jason Statham fan. He and Dwayne Johnson are the only true action guys around these days if you discount the aging -- and much respected, mind you -- gang I grew up with. However, aside from a few select flicks, The Stath has never taken off with mainstream audiences who likely see his movies as more of the same. Is that the case with his latest, Homefront? Stick with me!

A former DEA agent moves his family to a quiet town, where he soon tangles with a local meth dealer.

Yeah, on the surface, this does sound like more of the same. But it doesn't take long to realize that Homefront is more than just a polished update of an old Cannon movie.

For one the script, by Sylvester Stallone no less, is a lot smarter than movies of this type. Things begin small and escalate through a believable chain of events to the big throw down action fans wants to see. Ex-DEA agent angle aside, something like this could, and probably has, happened to a family somewhere. It's kinda scary in that sense.

About the action, it's great. There's not too little, not too much. Everything is just right. And it's of the R-rated variety too. In fact, this is an old-school, R-rated action flick. So people swear, just like they do in the real world. Or at least the world I live in.

The cast is also above par. Statham is, and always shall be, the man. He plays within his wheelhouse, but is a lot more believable. I know, I'm using that word a lot here. I also liked James Franco, who I usually despise. He plays a great small town piece of shit who is in way over his head. And he gets his ass handed to him, which is something I've always wanted to do.

I gotta give a special shout out to Frank Grillo, who is near-perfect as a bad ass biker. I've run into a few in my former life, and this dude nails it.

Homefront rates a Good. It's like the action flicks I grew up with, only slightly different. Ha ha!
Enhanced by Zemanta

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

#CocktailHour: Slushtail

  Summer approaches, inspiring thoughts of sunshine, backyard parties, and having a tip and sip with friends.  With that in mind, I bring you this week sunny beverage. To make a slushtail, mix a can of frozen orange juice, a can of frozen lemonade (or limeade), a can of pineapple juice, a couple cups of black tea (or English Breakfast), and two cups of bourbon- such as Southern Comfort, in a pitcher.  When it's all nicely mixed, put it in the freezer until it's a nice slushy consistency. Scoop the slush into a cocktail glass, and pour in some Sprite or 7-Up.  Add a little umbrella for some frivolous fun, and a straw. Voila!  Ready to enjoy. This is a very refreshing drink.  The fruit juices, Sprite, and bourbon- when chilled makes for a great punch-like drink.  The bourbon doesn't overwhelm juices.   In fact, they are all nicely balanced in terms of flavors.  The sourness of the citrus fruits contrasts well with the slightly sweeter Southern Comfort.  It was refreshing enou

Unlock your fate with The Puzzle

When my dad wasn't working, building stuff or being my dad, he was making puzzles. It was a guaranteed way for him to unwind. So it was with great interest that I sat down to watch Italian filmmaker Davide Melini's award-winning short The Puzzle. You see, the mother in the five-minute film likes to relax with puzzles just like my dad. Unfortunately, her good-for-nothing son keeps harassing her for money. Losing herself in her favourite passtime, the mother soon discovers that completing this puzzle might unlock a nightmare. The Puzzle has been an official selection at more European film festivals than you can shake a stick at, and was voted Third Best Italian Film at the Rome International Film Festival in 2008. Having watched it, I'm not surprised. It's a tight little film that hits you hard in the final few seconds. You can tell Melini cut his teeth as an assistant director for legendary Italian filmmaker Dario Argento. But enough chit chat on my part. See if yo

The Animated Addict: "The Adventures of Tintin" (2011)

If you're a 40 + white dude, like myself, you may remember a comic series called " The Adventures of Tintin ".  I know I remember them.  This series, dating back to 1929, got turned into a animated feature film by Steven Spielberg in 2011. After buying a model of ship called The Unicorn, teenaged journalist Tintin finds himself on adventure that will take him from the high seas, to the low deserts, and from the distant past to the present.  With his trusty dog, Snowy, by his side, Tintin uncovers a story connecting two men across the centuries.. . The story is really quite good.  It's well crafted, and high paced- with just enough slow moments to build and develop the world and the characters.  This is the sort of adventure story you'd find in the old serials of the 1930's and '40's.  In fact, it felt like it was the sort of tale that you'd find Indiana Jones undertaking.  I found myself swept up, and swept along as our hero swung from one e