Bullet Proof

I started watching this film without too many expectations, but somehow I watched the film with interest to the end wothout rewind. The story is not exactly the most unique, it reminds me of many works I have seen, but I say that it also retains a certain amount of its own originality. The plot moves too fast so many things suffer because of it, too fast plotting is never good. This is a below average action movie that is watchable but nothing more, it doesn't leave any special impression.

Story - 0.50 :: Direction - 1.00 :: Pacing - 1.25 :: Performances - 1.00 :: Entertainment - 1.25 TOTAL - 5/10

Not every film needs to stimulate the mind. Some merely need to deliver car chases, gunfire, and Vinnie Jones doing his best impression of a man who has just been cut off at the bar. This is that film.

The plot is action-movie paint-by-numbers: an unnamed anti-hero steals from a deranged crime boss, unknowingly picks up said boss's pregnant wife, and suddenly finds himself pursued by a madman with no moral compass and a deep personal investment in retrieving his family and fortune. Cue the requisite chaos, violence, and a shadowy hitman named "The Frenchman" because, of course, there is.

The writing, courtesy of Cooper Bibaud, Danny Mac, and James Clayton, is nothing if not predictable. The characters are stock action figures: the reluctant hero, the unhinged villain, the enigmatic assassin. Originality is nowhere to be found, but at least James Clayton's direction injects some energy into the proceedings. His use of tempo shifts and creative camera angles make the relentless action more engaging than it has any right to be.

As for performances, Vinnie Jones reigns supreme, which is another way of saying that the acting is functional at best. He glares, he growls, he explodes into violence; he is every Vinnie Jones character ever, and honestly, that is half the fun. The rest of the cast do their best with what they are given, but with characters this thinly drawn, their efforts can only go so far.

Is it good? Not really. Is it entertaining? Absolutely. This is cinematic junk food: it will not nourish the mind, but it will satisfy that craving for mindless mayhem.

...to be said about this. Absolutely terrible. Poor script and script direction, some awful acting and a story thats about as original as Vinnie Jones' look.

Not sure whether Clayton should stick to acting or directing, or, maybe even find himself a new vocation.

Tell me Mr Clayton - what's the need for a cigarette throughout the film?

A movie to avoid.

People need a reminder that not all movies have to have insane budgets or be award worthy or deep for them to be entertaining. This was a fun action film! It was really fast paced, it made time go by really quickly. I was impressed with it for what it was. Action sequences were cool! The Frenchman is not your typical hitman, more soft spoken, but it kind of worked. There's some great humor that I wasn't expecting, and yeah it hits a lot of action movie tropes, but that seems like it was on purpose, so I liked it. Reminded me of 90s action films. Vinnie Jones isn't the greatest actor, but that's okay, he fits the bad guy thing well, there's a reason he's typecast often and it worked well in this. The new actors that play Mia and The Thief were both pretty good and had some great and sometimes funny chemistry. 7/10.

Maximum a 3, if you don't care about stupid scenarios or even stupider characters. I kept watching expecting a few decent scenes, but no. It kept getting worse. I had to stop half way to calm my nerves. What a waste. Skip.