Film: Contraband
Starring: Mark Wahlberg
Directed by: Baltasar Kormákur
January is typically a time for studios to dump movies they either have little faith in or simply do not know how to sell. Not gritty enough to win over young crowds, but not quite clean enough to challenge the likes of Mission Impossible, Contraband is the perfect example of this type of film. It is an American take on a foreign film it’s safe to say 99% of the population has never heard of, but filled with enough cliches that the characters feel familiar. Is it enough to risk the cold winds and incoming snow? Maybe.
Mark Wahlberg takes the reigns as Chris Farraday, a drug smuggler turned clean who has finds himself forced to go on “one last mission” to save his wife’s brother and in the bigger picture, his family. The role is not exactly a stretch for the actor, offering few to no nuances to separate him from the grey of the a-typical action star who wants to be good, but realizes being bad is the only way to do so. This may take some out of the film early on, but most action fans should be able to forgive the lack of depth given the film’s quick pace and relatively frequent action sequences. Not that those sequences are anything too fancy, mostly running, shooting, and a shipyard or two, but it is enough to keep the pulse slightly above normal throughout.
Where Contraband really struggles is the direction of Baltasar Kormákur, who starred in the original version of the film, and his choice to shoot the film handheld. While the loose nature of handheld works in moments of suspense, dramatic sequences intended to tug on the viewer’s heartstrings become lost in a series of shots and angles that feel scraped from last week’s episode of The Office. What is meant to feel voyeuristic comes across as comical more often than not and leaves the film feeling emotionally uneven.
For a January release, audiences could do a lot worse than Contraband, but that is not saying much. The action is solid, the story is old, and the direction is the perfect example of “swing and a miss” shooting (“A” for effort, “F” for execution). Mark Wahlberg offers some salvation by delivering the best of his “usual,” which may be all some need, but those looking for depth and lasting enjoyment might as well stay in and order some Video On Demand. I’m sure Contraband will be available that way soon enough.
Review written by: James Shotwell (Follow him on Twitter)
