2 Guns

Duplicity, shootouts, and male bonding. It's not Lethal Weapon 5, but it's pretty close. Mark Wahlberg and Denzel Washington buddy up for this far-fetched tale of two federal agents who are tricked into robbing a bank together, only to find that they stole too much money... and from the wrong person. The traditional paradigm of buddy flicks runs rampant throughout this one with Wahlberg as the Riggs (Mel Gibson); a bit of a wild card who gives out one liners and is just way too cool even when he's facing the barrel of a gun. Denzel isn't quite Murtaugh (Danny Glover), but he is the more serious of the two and less of a shoot from the hip type. It doesn't end there. The two of them are forced into collusion, and although they hate each other once they discover the truth, they grow to become the best of friends. Pretty standard, but also pretty fun. It's based on a graphic novel of the same name by Steven Grant, and a sequel is already in the works. It's made roughly half of its $60 million budget in the first week, and hasn't been released overseas yet. This is the kind of non-superhero movie that should do well internationally, so it has big return potential.

The film follows two men who have no idea that one is an undercover DEA agent and the other is an undercover Navy SEAL. They are both trying to bring down a Mexican drug lord and are both willing to throw each other under the bus to do so. Once they discover each other's identity, it's too late. They are already in over their heads, ostracized by their own people, and being hunted by both the Mexicans and the CIA. Their only hope is to work together to bring down corruption and save their own lives. There's a lot of gunplay, great one-liners, Bill Paxton as we haven't seen him before, and a topless Paula Patton. What's not to like?

We haven't seen Denzel loosen up in quite some time. It's nice to see him crack jokes and have a little fun with his role. No bad-ass crook, cop, or alcoholic pilot here; just an actor having a good time. Wahlberg has a great natural sense of humor that is starting to shine more and more. His work in The Other Guys and Ted were truly funny, and he's showing that he's more than just a CK model who thinks he can rap. In my mind, he's shedding the 1990's image and becoming one of the better actors around for action or comedy. Don't put him in the Oscar category yet (although his role in The Departed was incredible), but he could get there. Next year he's playing the titular role in Lone Survivor, and will take over where Shia LeBeouf left off in Transformers 4. It's good to see him having some fun.

The supporting cast is mostly irrelevant as the focal point is on the 2 guns. The two that stand out however, are Bill Paxton and Edward James Olmos, who play the bad guys. I've been a fan of Paxton for a long time, but he's never been quite so cold and ruthless. It's fun to see this side of him, even if it's a bit out of character. Olmos is a bit harder to take seriously. I'm in the middle of Dexter season 4, and it's hard to not see him as a joke of a serial killer. He's just too nice of a guy to believe that he's a kingpin. Personal feelings aside, they each bring some added flair and tension to the mix, and are just enough levity and entertainment to make it work. Patton is eye candy as the hottest bitch in the room (little Robin Thicke reference - he's her husband) and James Marsden shows off some muscle in a wasted role. The rest of the cast is just there to shoot and get shot at, and that's totally fine.

Baltasar Kormakur is an Icelandic director best known for the Wahlberg bust Contraband, but also has some foreign work on his resume. Lucky break for such an industry outsider to nab a graphic novel action flick with two Hollywood A-listers. His next film should be epic as well, pitting Josh Brolin, Jake Gyllenhaal, and Jason Clarke against the elements in Everest.

2 Guns isn't without its plot holes, but its OK. Believability isn't at the crux of the film; two A-list action stars is. At just under 2 hours, we get to know the two and are given the action that we are craving. With a couple of rudimentary twists and an open ending, there is definitely room for a sequel. The chemistry between Washington and Wahlberg is pretty good, as they have such different personalities, and they are exaggerated to create that contrast. They shine when together as there is natural banter and I would pay to see them again. 7.5/10.