Blackout

Let's put our cards on the table. The Bourne story (killer with memory loss) is one of my all-time faves. I actually read the "hardcover" when it first came out (if you are not familiar with that term, Google it!). The movie trilogy is top-ranked on my list of the greatest films of all time (see below). So, off the top, I really really WANTED to love this film. But, alas, Fate had other plans. As I have explained in my other reviews, one of the hallmarks of a low-budget indie is the gratuitous use of loud music to "fill in the awkward pauses" between the weak writing and bad acting. BLACKOUT has plenty of gratuitous loud music. Another giveaway is the use of recycled actors. Plenty of those here also. But what about the ACTION scenes, you ask? The good news is there are plenty of those too. And it looks like that is where most of the budget ended up. In fact, at the 35 minute mark, protagonist Duhamel escapes a killer using the signature judo move from the grand finale of REDBELT 2008 (also on my list of the best all-time films). "A" for effort. "B-" for result. ((Designated "IMDb Top Reviewer." Please check out my list "167+ Nearly-Perfect Movies (with the occasional Anime or TV miniseries) you can/should see again and again (1932 to the present))

I agree with an earlier reviewer: I'm not sure I'll make it through to the end. 20 minutes in and I already have a strong suspicion that this might be the worst movie I've ever watched.

This movie is absolutely terrible in every way. Plot, conversation, acting... Everything. I'll give you an example:

In one scene the main character is having a flashback. He's in a (terrible as usual) conversation with the bad guy, Eddie. Eddie is holding a glas of tequila in his left hand and his hair is up in a ponytail. Cut to another angle and all of a sudden his hair is down and the glas is gone. Cut back again and the ponytail and glas is back. Cut again. No ponytail and he takes a mouthful of tequila from the bottle. What the...? It's amazing to watch all the inconsistencies in this production. They are everywhere and they are hilarious.

I won't give anything away, but the end leaves me with a feeling that the producers of this mess will hit us with a sequel. I'm looking forward to it, but at the same time I don't think they will be able to raise enough money for it. I would love to see it. I haven't been this entertained in a while.

Was there a script or did they make the plot up as they went along? Was the budget over or under 5 bucks? Was this flick made by 4th graders? Did they make it this lousy just to win some kind of award? The questions are piling up minute by minute.

BTW: Did you know that the point of a satelite phone is that it's easily traceable? I just learned this.

I urge you to watch this movie. Watch it as a comedy/parody, not as an action flick. It should be used at every film school as an example on what NOT to do.

A note to some reviewers: You know that the average of 1-10 stars is 5 stars. Right? How can you give a movie you dislike as much as you say a 5 star review? Your words doesn't match your rating.

The only reason I can think this got made is because Nick Nolte has bills to pay. A few decent fight scenes and short running time but still silly. Reminds me of Tim Olymphant doing a bad version of an action star in Hitman. To think Nick Nolte, one of better actors in the past century is in this makes me wonder if he knew what he was doing.

This is nothing more than a B movie action rip off of Jason Bourne. There's a reason no one pays for this in cinemas. If it's bad enough, Netflix will pick it up for streaming. Giving this garbage even 2 stars would be kind but that's because I grew up watching Nick Nolte movies. Back when he used to do good movies.

This movie has B/A list actors yet the script and some scenes are awful. Completely cliché and disjointed at the same time. Budget is not an excuse. There are action movies that have way lower budget and were at least interesting if not gripping: Hardcore Henry, Upgrade, The Raid (only 1million), etc. I've even seen better stuff from Youtube creators. Josh Duhamel should just stick to romantic comedies and light hearted stuff like the Mighty Ducks. He hardly felt dangerous or menacing in action roles. Abbie Cornish's acting was also was disinterested and looked like she was just in for the paycheck.

And idk if I'm gonna make it. Thought about turning it off when Nick Nolte's skeleton came on screen and tried to speak words... at least that's what I think it was trying to do.

Maybe I'll change my rating if I finish it, but this is as low as I'm going becuz it's still never gonna be as bad as The Animal was.

As for the movie itself, someone said something about 1 A-lister in the movie... who is that?? I think Josh Duhamel makes these terrible movies now just for personal entertainment. It's like the people who make the Sharknado's, they all knew all 11 of the movies were trash, but they did it anyway. That's the 2022 Josh Duhamel, everyone.

Update: This is a complete disaster of epic proportions, and all I need to say is, NO POLICE!?!?!? It's a hospital, right??? Machine guns shot, dead bodies everywhere, bare handed murder in the kitchen... holy moly.

Update #2: Changed rating from 2 to 1. Still have a half hour left and it's unbearable. If I was actually at the movies I would've walked out... so it's just as bad as The Animal. Lol.