STAR RATING: ***** Saturday Night **** Friday Night *** Friday Morning ** Sunday Night * Monday Morning
Mitch (Scott Eastwood) is a former war vet living in a small mid-western American town, whose life is heading nowhere. However, one night, after running afoul of some Mexican pimps, he finds himself approached by a man known as The Captain (Nick Chunland) who sees potential for him as a private security operative, and Mitch accepts. Assigned to take out a number of targets, he forms a bond with his fellow recruits, but they gradually come to question their operation and The Captain's true intentions.
It's been a long time since we've seen the offspring of a famous screen icon showcasing their stuff for our consideration, and so it's a novelty that Scott, son of the legendary Clint, has appeared in this miniscule effort that has creeped out onto DVD. While he's fair as an actor in his own right, he inevitably doesn't hold his own to his legendary father, not that that's the main thing on your mind. This leading role of his has a premise with potential, exploring the murky world of private security, but while the set up is intriguing, sadly the story doesn't pay off.
Director Charles Burmeister strikes the tone and balance just right, creating a blurry, murky atmosphere that suits the mood of the story, matched with some suitably edgy characters on the good and bad divide that fit it well. Somehow, though, there's just not a strong enough foundation to guide the story with, not engaging enough at times and requiring too many leaps of faith at others. It's a throwaway effort when it should be a mesmerizing one, fully emersing the audience in the bleak, uncertain world of private security operations instead of just distracting them.
Hopefully, Eastwood Jr. will find something more relieving of his talents. **
