Panama

Not even Cole or Mel could save this unimaginative story with cliché cardboard characters and a freshman-level script. The dialog was remarkably poor, spotted with unnecessary narration and definitions and, of course, incompetent bad guys that have guns but attack with their hands, then miss every time by firing wildly. The pro-level production was wasted on this borefest.

Around the time of the US invasion of Panama the CIA decides to make a deal with some contra guerilla fighters. Mel decides to recruit some buddy of his, Becker, who is currently a mess because his wife died. Along for the ride monitoring things is another agent, Burns. Becker is supposed to make the deal happen: he has to buy a Soviet chopper from some bad guys in Panama and deliver it to the guerilla guy. The Panama guys are involved in drugs and Becker has to go undercover and work in a casino where the gets to meet hot girls and the partying bad guy who is supposed to sell him the chopper. He is also contacted by a DEA agent who offers help if he helps them out in turn. Things of course don't turn out as expected at all and Becker ends up stabbed in the back from all sides just as the full invasion breaks out. Yet he somehow has to make it out alive and try to make some deal happen.

Panama has a good idea and story. The cast does the best it can. Mel always delivers but here he is a tertiary character. Kiara Liz is absolutely adorable. Cole Hauser isn't the most compelling lead but does alright. The problem of course is that this was done with a 3rd of the budget necessary to make it a solid international spy undercover thriller. It's not as bad as the rating here suggests but this is an unfortunate case, where they should have really desisted with the project unless they could procure the appropriate budget but instead went ahead and ended up producing a C-level movie.

Only watched because I like Cole in Yellowstone. Where do I start, load music played over every conversation, you can't hear a word people are saying. It looks like it may been filmed using an iPhone 1, camera is constantly shaking. No plot to speak of, but that may be because I had to stop watching 30 mins in. Do not waste your time.

Mel Gibson was the reason I had to watch it. He hasnt got a big part in this movie though, which is mostly filled with B/C-listed actors, who usually would only star in cheap tv series.

From the very start I felt everything was wrong with this movie: the photography was boring, no thrilling action whatsoever, very cheaply filmed. The sound score is just wrong. Of course the acting is mediocre at best. And finally the story is an incomprehensible mess.

Not any good then? Well, it's not completely garbage. They made an (amateurish) effort, but an effort nonetheless. But it is tedious, incredibly tedious to watch.

Not nearly a 3 score for me. More like 5.

Then again, I personally am not a hater and dislike every film.

The film has major flaws. But Mel Gibson and Cole Hauser are awesome.

I think it was marketed so badly because it leads you to believe it's more action than it really is.

It's espionage and a little bit of action.

This is a turn-your-brain-off film.

I recommend for fans of Cole Hauser.

5/10.