Wanted Man: Marcado Para Morrer

In this film written, directed and starring Dolph Lundgren, we see an aging racist cop having to go to Mexico to get some witnesses to balance out his politically incorrect behavior which was caught on camera. Obviously, bad people don't want the witnesses to survive, so the cop will have to band and survive together with people he despises by default, thus learning a lesson.

It is a familiar concept, done in no way differently from other films that tackled the same issue. It feels more honest, with no ha-ha humor or crazy stunts, though. Dolph is almost 70 years old and it shows, unfortunately. The plot is quite obvious from the beginning and the situations in which some sort of emotional connection could have been built are often wasted. That's why I can't recommend it.

The film also manages to convey, probably accidentally, how the US starts to look to people outside it. In the movie, the Mexicans are all young, vibrant and fearless, even the bad guys. In contrast, the Americans are old, decrepit, stuck in their ways and expecting everybody else to respect their authority. Old cops, hunting for their gone youth, in a country led by old men, changing in artificial ways that don't matter, like politically correctness. Somehow, I doubt that was the message Lundgren was trying to send.

Kelsey Grammer and Michael Paré and also in this, although their roles are minimal. I like Dolph, even if he barely speaks and he barely moves now. It's nostalgia, and this film is banking on it. But it feels like something that should have been done 20 years ago.

Disgraced, hard-line detective Mike Johansen (Dolph Lundgren) is given the redemptive task of going to Mexico and extraditing Rosa (Christina Villa) who witnessed the slaying of two DEA agents during a fubar'd drug heist. Not long into Johansen's ostensibly straight forward trip when things quite literally, and figuratively go dangerously south, as Johansen becomes the target of rogue cops from north and south of the border! I will be generous here and simply say that the rudimentary plot is comfortably familiar, and leave it at that, happily, the dynamic presence of the grizzled, hugely charismatic Dolph in front of, and behind the camera gives this gritty crime actioner a dopamine boost! Pacy enough, with some decent squibbage, Wanted Man is a more than credible, dramatically compelling shoot 'em up, eminently watchable fare for action junkies, and a no-brainer for Dolph fans! It must also be said that the Clint Eastwoodian tropes are hella strong in Dolph's exciting Wanted Man, being 2 parts The Gauntlet and one part Gran Torino, and certainly no worse for it! There's lovely chemistry between the beautiful Christina Villa and Mr. Lundgren, and I was rootin' for 'em all the way to the border, man!!!!!

No pun intended - while Dolph is the main character, the important one (story wise) is the witness ... and she has only one thing on her mind ... surviving ... well and doing the right thing I reckon by helping out law enforcement ... without really thinking too much about herself. At least that is what she is telling us.

And why shouldn't we believe her - if we buy that Lundgren is still up for the task (he is not the quickest anymore, suspension of disbelief is important, especially when you have to buy that he would be able to physically fight others ... or get near them, without them killing him first). The action still is kind of decent ... so if you are a fan of the man ... well you could do worse... like being a fan of a different action man who even uses stunt man to walk ... kid you not ... anyway, the message is clear and you also have some good actors rounding everything up ... no surprises here though (twists? Well ... not really)

This reminded me a little of John Wayne's "Mc Q" (1974) only this time it's Dolph Lundgren who is the curmudgeonly old cop who bends the rules to suit the investigation. That's caused his bosses a bit of an headache, so they want to put that frankly rather odious "Johansen" out to pasture. A trip to Mexico is organised so he can retrieve and escort a vital witness in a double-murder case back to the USA. "Rosa" (Christina Villa) is no shrinking violet and the couple don't exactly hit it off, but gradually that all changes as the pair begin to realise that they are being played. By whom, though? That's the six million dollar question. I'm afraid the presence of Kelsey Grammer in anything (except maybe the early editions of "Cheers") never bodes well for me, and his mediocrity rather sums up this whole thing. It hasn't an original bone in it's body as it follows well established plot lines, constantly escaping from hellish scenarios against overwhelming odds and firepower. It's as if his dark sunglasses gave him a degree of immortality. Rapid healing powers at any rate. Duplicity, police corruption, betrayal - you name it and it's been squeezed into this bland and repetitive thriller that's very short on thrills. Television fodder at best, sorry.

Lately I have been so into looking got just a good Hollywood movie that I am down to watch anything. So I rented this off Amazon Prime. I will admit, I was not disappointed with this film. It is dark and gritty, but still very enjoyable. The film takes place I believe a time of body cameras where a veteran cop is caught on tape saying racist things to a Hispanic person. There's no denying it's him. His chief sends him on a special assignment at the border where he uncovers more trouble after a attempted assassination. He then learns very quickly that he cannot trust anyone. This isn't a high budget film but it's still good.