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'WILD CARD': Four Stars (Out of Five)

Remake of the 1986 crime thriller 'HEAT'; about a recovering gambler, working as a bodyguard in Las Vegas, who gets into trouble with the mob there. Both films are based on the 1985 novel 'Heat', written by William Goldman; Goldman also wrote the screenplay adaptations for both movies (as well as such other popular books, and screenplays, as 'THE PRINCESS BRIDE', 'MARATHON MAN' and many others). Jason Statham takes over the lead role, from Burt Reynolds, and the movie costars Michael Angarano, Milo Ventimiglia, Dominik Garcia-Lorido, Hope Davis, Sofia Vergara, Anne Heche, Jason Alexander and Stanley Tucci. It was directed by Simon West; who also recently directed Statham in the action films 'THE EXPENDABLES 2' and 'THE MECHANIC'. I loved the movie, and think it's one of Statham's best!

Statham plays Nick Wild; a bodyguard working in Las Vegas, who's also trying to get over a compulsive gambling problem. When a lady friend of his (Garcia-Lorido) is brutally beaten and raped, Nick helps her get revenge. He later finds out that the rapist, he helped her humiliate (Ventimiglia), is also the son of a very powerful mobster. Nick resorts to his biggest weakness, gambling, in order to try and earn enough money to escape Vegas for good. He has help from a young rich kid (Angarano), who recently hired him for protection.

The movie is very dialogue heavy, for a Jason Statham movie, and it's brilliantly written, by the great William Goldman! Simon West also does an excellent job directing the flick; which has some of the best fight scenes I've ever seen in a Statham film! I'm a fan of Statham, but I had come to expect a lot less from him, in recent years. He's great in the movie as well, and he has a lot of good support from the rest of the cast (I wish Vergara was in it a lot more, though). The film pretty much has everything you could want, in a cool crime thriller; especially if you're a Jason Statham fan!

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It had been over a year since Jason Statham released a solo film. Which feels like a long time considering he comes out with about 5 films a year. Being a fan of his films, I was looking forward to sitting back on a Friday night and enjoying watching Statham do what he does best and thats kick ass. I was disappointed because the movie didn't really deliver on what I had expected. I do like his non pure action films like Snatch, Lock Stock, Bank Job, Redemption, but this film doesn't have anything to stand out in terms of story or action. The cast also looked promising and acting from Statham isn't bad either but doesn't save it from being just plain old boring and average. Overall,ranks as one of his average/mediocre movies like Chaos and Killer Elite. although the first half of the movie has promise and admitingly has some good fight scenes. It falls off by the middle and by the end doesn't hold your interest and isn't a satisfying action film or drama. If your a fan of his films and are looking for action, you'd be better off watching Safe, Expendables I/II, Transporter,Crank Homefront or many of his other better movies.

5/10

The trailer for Wild Card is very misleading, the film is not just a revenge movie staring Martial Art expert, ass-kicking, lethal weapon Jason Statham. It's actually surprising, well though-out, and more about Nick Wild's character than mindless fight scenes.

Well, the problem might not just be the trailer. There are a lot of side stories in this one film, the stories give you context, a get better sense of who Nick Wild (Statham) is, but in this case it's a little bit much. Because if you pick any of the side stories and make trailer of it, you'll have a completely different film, which is why the movie feels like a draft, jumbled, messy. I am aware that I'm saying this about a film written by an academy award winning screenwriter but that's how it is.

In way it reflects Nick Wild's state of mind and where he's at in his life. The deeper you get into the movie the more layers you find and realize what he's struggling with but as the movie start to scratch the surface it ends. I like Wild Card for one thing because it shown Jason Statham in a new light. He talks as much as he fights in this film and if you like Statham throwing fits and handling knives you'll be pleasantly surprise to him talk.

Wild Card is a better movie than I expected, don't get me wrong it's not movie of the year, but it's kind of good and entertaining.

...If you can make it to the last 1/2 hour, then it gets good. I'm a Statham fan, so had to see it. It's a little slow, but it was worth watching. Not too many fight scenes, but when they happen, they're good! Kinda 'The Gambler' meets 'The Equalizer' movie. Milo Ventimiglia best known from Heroes as Peter Petrelli does a great job as the bad guy in this film. Wish he had more roles in mainstream movies. Not a huge blockbuster but worth the watch if you can wait until the story gets going. I cant think of much more to write but i have to have ten lines to submit my review so here they are. ( i think short reviews will get better responses. It was great; it was bad, don't see it, etc..) Why do we need such a long review? I myself don't like to read long reviews, just tell me if the movie was good or not!

This film sees Jason Statham playing Nick Wild, a body guard working in Las Vegas. The jobs he gets are nothing special and he dreams of saving up enough money so that he can live on a yacht in Corsica for five years... unfortunately he also gambles. One day he gets a call from his friend Holly; she has been brutally assaulted and raped by a man staying in a suite with two body guards. She says she wants to track him down so she can sue him but clearly she wants revenge. Nick asks a few questions and it turns out the man is Danny DeMarco, the son of a powerful east coast mob boss. Holly has her revenge and DeMarco is humiliated. Nick knows that he will have to leave town fast; he just has to raise $500,000 first!

This film is darker in town than most of Jason Statham's flicks; there may be less fighting than most of his films but what there is feels less stylised and more brutal... there is also the small matter of Holly threatening to remove DeMarco's manhood with a pair of gardening sheers... he may be a totally unsympathetic character but the scene had me wincing... and surprised that it happened in a UK-15 rated film! There is some humour in the film; notably when it becomes apparent why Nick lost an early fight and some of his interaction with the rich but scared client Cyrus Kinnick. On the down side the gambling scene does drag a bit. Jason Statham is on good form in the lead role; being solid in the 'acting scenes' and great in the action. The rest of the cast are solid enough. Overall this is a good film which fans of Jason Statham will want to see.