The Bricklayer

I don't understand who green-lights these movies. Did no one read the script before they started shooting? This is just so freaking mediocre.

Writing: the story is derivative as hell and dumb AF, there is no character development at all, and the dialogue is uncomfortably cringeworthy.

Acting: Aaron Eckhart is a good actor, but in this movie, no one delivers a remotely decent performance. Especially Nina Dobrev, who at least in this film, brings no range whatsoever, no chemistry with the lead actor and a truly amateur performance. The support cast is no better.

Directing: a disjointed and incoherent mess with nothing but a few passable action sequences to pacify the tedium.

I strongly encourage the writers to hang up the gloves. When ChatGPT can do a better job than you do, it's time to look into a different line of work.

Former CIA operative Victor Radek (Clifton Collins Jr.) is killing European civilians opposed to America with incriminating evidence on the CIA. The publicity is destroying America's reputation. CIA analyst Kate Bannon (Nina Dobrev) uncovers Radek's identity and tells CIA Director O'Malley (Tim Blake Nelson). With so much possible blow-back, he assigns veteran operative Steve Vail (Aaron Eckhart) and Kate to take down Radek in an off-the-books operation.

In the old days, this is a mid-tier action thriller with some mid-tier actors. The story is basic at best. Quite frankly, I don't like Radek's scheme. There has to be a better way to get his revenge. There isn't much in terms of twists and turns. There is one shock reveal, but nobody cares about that by then. The production value is passable with some functional action. There are some minor plot holes and inconsistencies. For example, Vail takes down a dozen thugs in a club, but the next night, he struggles to take down one of those thugs in a fair fight. The movie doesn't seem to know what it is. This is a marginal film that will be lost in the stream.

The film is still running through my mind. While I enjoyed the film, the director used every bloody cliche in the book. Setting scenes to give the viewers a comparison impression between James Bond, and The Bricklayer. You might almost thinking they were trying to create a "Brand" so that there could be future Bricklayer films. Transparent hopes of more, when the film has so many flaws may be doomed to disappointment. Many of the scenes also had actors either posing for the scene, or either looking at the camera, or every other way except at the camera. Some of them near broke their necks avoiding looking at the camera, even when they were in very abnormal postures. The film editing was sloppy, even when a better edit would have avoided revealing the more obvious flaws.

"The Bricklayer" crumbles under the weight of its own predictability. Clichéd plot-lines and illogical turns make this B-movie feel like a dusty relic from a bygone era. While promising a gritty thriller, the film delivers more eye-rolls than excitement.

The narrative cracks are evident from the get-go. Characters behave with questionable motives, and the action sequences lack punch. The cheap production values do little to elevate the experience, leaving viewers yearning for a trowel to smooth over the rough edges.

Despite its flaws, "The Bricklayer" isn't completely without merit. A few scattered witty lines and a fleeting moment of genuine suspense offer glimpses of what could have been. But ultimately, these are just bricks scattered amidst a crumbling wall.

If you're seeking a cinematic masterpiece, you'll find this film more like a pile of rubble. However, for fans of campy B-movies who enjoy a generous helping of cheese with their action, "The Bricklayer" might provide a mildly diverting afternoon distraction. Just don't expect it to win any awards for architectural brilliance.

Overall: A predictable and uninspired thriller that fails to build any real excitement. Skip this one unless you're craving a cinematic power nap. Rating: 4- out of 10 IMDb stars.

The Bricklayer is directed by Renny Harlin and stars Aaron Eckhart and Nina Dobrev.

This week is The Bricklayer next week is The Beekeeper. Going to be honest for a direct to video action movie dumped In the first week of January I was expecting a lot worse. Don't get me wrong this definitely has a lot of issues but for a DTV movie this looks pretty professional likely due to veteran action director Renny Harlin (Die Hard 2 and Cliffhanger) behind the camera and the Greece location actually gives this movie a sense of vibrancy and color throughout.

It was nice to see Aaron Eckhart in something again. Although after watching this I was curious on what the hell happened to his career and upon further investigation I found out that Eckhart is actually a notorious method actor so my guess is he rubbed some people the wrong way and he can't get any mainstream work anymore which is sad if true because I think he is talented. Counting this I've now seen Nina Dobrev in three movies and I'm kind of suprised she's not a big mainstream actress by now she possesses all the qualities to be one in my opinion but when she has movies like XXX: Return Of Xander Cage, The Out Laws, and now The Bricklayer on her resume you got to wonder if her agent is the problem.

So two likable lead actors, and a well shot and semi professional looking movie but unfortunately the overall story is what lets this movie down. It's just very cliche, very paint by numbers you've seen this a million times before and it's not done particularly well here either. There's a third act twist that you could see coming a mile away if you know how basic storytelling works also. Not sure if Renny Harlin and Eckhart will want to reunite for a potential sequel but honestly why wouldn't they because what else do they have going on these days.