The Gunman

Sean Penn has been relatively quiet since his 2008 Best Actor Oscar-winning performance in Milk (his 2nd). He's been Mickey Cohen in the poorly executed and ill-titled Gangster Squad, had a pretty fantastic supporting role in the under-appreciated Secret Life of Walter Mitty, and he's sparked a relationship with Charlize Theron. He returns to the action genre in a big way. The 55 year old packed on some muscle to play Jim Terrier, a black-ops CIA former special forces yada yada yada. You know the drill by now. The Gunman is directed by Pierre Morel, of Taken fame, and the films have more in common than middle-aged bad-ass men trying to relive their youth.

Terrier is called upon to assassinate an official in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in what is intended to be a cerebral suspenseful sequence. Nearly a decade later, an older, wiser, buffer, and haunted Terrier is back in DRC doing humanitarian work, when he is targeted by a hit squad. He goes on the run, working his spy game trying to figure out who the hunter is and why he's the hunted. A man connected to the dark truths of global politics realizes that he can't outrun the sins of his past, and the people he once worked with (and for) won't let him escape. As the cat and mouse game plays out, we are treated to an elaborate bullfight finale scene that almost makes me long for John Woo's white doves.

I'm all for the lone gunman, ex special forces action thriller, but the Gunman straddles the line between genuine quality, and fluffy action. The character development is questionable at best, and it falls apart completely when his flaws are revealed. It's not for a lack of trying, and the cast is top shelf. Penn, Javier Bardem, Ray Winstone, and Idris Elba? With a decent script, this could have been either a great action film, or an awards-caliber artistic achievement. And consequently, because of the attempt on the director's part to achieve both, it's neither.

Idris Elba doesn't appear until the movie is nearly over, but his role could have been played by a B-lister (or C, or D...) and the film wouldn't have suffered a bit. Javier Bardem is another all too brief screen portrayal of wasted talent as Felix, one of Terrier's compatriots. Ever since No Country for Old Men and Skyfall, he has an aura about him, especially in the role of a villain. He isn't exactly the villain here, but would have benefited from a little bit more deception and guile. And a little more depth of character. There's a natural sinister affect that Javier has, but it isn't capitalized upon here.

The dialogue is wooden and forgettable, and the love story is clearly out of place even though it is at the epicenter of this debacle. This is the type of film that makes me wonder why I'm not a Hollywood screenwriter. And what's with the sunglasses, Sean? Is it just me, or are his choice of shades a bit too 1980's? It bothered me in Mystic River, and it bothers me in The Gunman. While we're on the subject of fashion, I think an ex-special forces black-ops CIA assassin trying not to be noticed probably wouldn't run around with a camouflage army backpack. It's a stupid detail, but if it was noticeable to me, it was probably noticeable to others. I'm just saying.

Even the shootouts and knife fights couldn't help The Gunman. The action is fine, and Penn has the chops of a bona fide middle-aged action star, as was clearly being advertised and demonstrated by the number of shirtless and close-up arm flexing scenes. But something was seriously missing. There was a moment before a certain action sequence that was squandered. Terrier is having a cliche prolonged pre-kill dialogue with one of those shadowy CIA ne'er-do-well types, and there is a dark, massive pool of water behind them. It's moments like this where your attention drifts away from the conversation or the imminent threat of death, and you begin to wonder what, if anything, is lurking in that water. Like something from a James Bond film, or the book that desperately needs to be adapted to film, Beat the Reaper. That is opportunity. The viewer wants more of that. I want more of that. Surprise me a little bit, Hollywood.

The Gunman fits in line with all of the Liam Neeson films of the last few years (Taken, Unknown, Taken 2, Non-Stop, A Walk Among the Tombstones, Taken 3, Run all Night). It's a newly converted middle aged action star burning high octane garbage with a story that was cranked out in a couple of hours, and given absolutely no polish or afterthought. Like putting premium gasoline into a 1981 Honda Accord hatchback. It just doesn't make a whole lot of sense. But I won't blame the gasoline for the car sucking. 3/10.