cedchin

If you have absolutely nothing else to watch or do, there are far worse movies to watch. But please: Don't expect much. It's a nice, lighthearted, nostalgic film to pass the time. Watch with friends or family. Put it on in the background while you talk or have dinner. Or watch while browsing the web on your phone/tablet. The plot is forgettable. The jokes are few & flat. But the stars are so likeable, I enjoyed watching them have fun. There's little that's objectionable. I didn't find myself annoyed or reaching for the remote to change channels.

When it was over, I was surprised that my stress level was far lower & I felt a little bit better about the world.

21 Bridges is a routine action film that feels like it could have been turned into a franchise had Chadwick Boseman not sadly passed away due to colon cancer in 2020.

As a producer, this was a labor of love for Boseman. He used some of his salary to hire Sienna Miller, when the studio initially rejected her salary demands. Boseman was a true shining light in Hollywood.

And Boseman's natural warmth does shine through as NYPD detective Andre Davis. His performance is nowhere close to his best, but it is the only memorable one.

The disappointing script & plot doesn't allow anyone an opportunity to shine. There is little in the way of character development. Just a few scenes of blood & guts.

Direction & Cinematography is bland. We've seen it all before. Many scenes are stiff and some felt like padding (especially the helicopter scenes of New York City early on).

Note: The filming at night attempts to hide that most scenes were shot in Philadelphia!

Overall: It's for Boseman fans only. He is truly missed. May he Rest In Peace.

My wife stumbled onto this and wanted us to watch this on a lazy Sunday afternoon. I instantly had doubts that it would be any good. And I was right!

(Lesson #1 to filmmakers: If the title is "Snowbound," you should have plenty of snow in it!! There isn't much until the end.)

Erika Eleniak gets top billing. I had vague memories of her from "Baywatch" - a show I rarely watched (but you couldn't get away from the promos). She shows some spunk & does a reasonable job. But co-star Monika Schnarre is just too bland & monotone.

Overall, it's boring. Plot & script aren't much to write home about. Very little drama, action or horror. The pacing is slow. At 93 minutes, it's not too long. But it feels long. Cinematography is very good - especially the exterior scenes (shot in Canada). It's easy on the eyes. But - once again - I was disappointed by the general lack of actual snow.

This is an easily forgotten Lifetime-type movie.

However: If you need something calming to play in the background while you surf the web or to help you fall asleep, this fits the bill perfectly.

3 stars: For Eleniak & the cinematography.