Blowback

The movie could have used a better script and character journeys. A lot of these reviews knock the script which is true but the acting isn't bad. Michele Plaia is a fresh new talent and a baddie with some great range. Cam Gigandet was solid for most of the movie. I enjoyed the love triangle and would have liked to see more of the relationships driving the movie direction.

How can Tibor Takacs, a seasoned director with almost 50 directing credits, give us this type of nonsense? For starters, he failed miserably in directing his cast. Most held their own, considering, but many needed casting direction to show some emotions in their dialogue or facial expressions in most of the scenes. Michele Plaia's acting was stale and unconvincing, but a good director can easily direct even an amateur 5 year old actor with ease, so that's all on him. Takas also dragged out too many scenes, and failed with his slow pacing, that the normally 93 min runtime felt much longer.

Then you have four writers giving us a cliched screenplay, with some cringeworthy scenes, especially the dialogue in the meet-up at the casino at the very end. Even the Italian mobsters were hilariously over-cliched with some very cheesy dialogue. A fifth grade drama class could've come up with better dialogue.

It's too bad, because although not revolutionary, the story had some great ideas. Aside from all that, you have your typical B film score - loud and overbearing, but surprisingly the cinematography wasn't too bad. If you're a fan of Louis Mandylor, Randy Couture or Cam Gigandet, you may still enjoy this - if there's nothing else to watch. For me, it's a generous 5/10.

What you nailed together.

It's okay that you didn't have much money, but then please make more of it and don't waste it on another cheaply produced action film.

The actors have charisma but little talent.

The film was a waste of film, and time. After watching how things played out throughout the movie, I kept shaking my head waiting for how the various characters were motivated, and how they made the choices they made to make some sense. Throughout the movie I felt like something essential was missing which was hard to explain except for it being the time I wasted watching this turkey. I find reviews that give this an ok rating for action, or anything else hard to comprehend. Except to say this was time spent in which I felt the loss of a chance to do something interesting; instead I watched this.

Have to agree with some of the other reviewers that Couture is HORRIBLE. Dude cannot act and in this type of flick it stands out. The rest of the cast was good except Mandylor and the black FBI actor who was a clown.. Mandylor has never been better than B-Movie casting anyway.

Like I said in my title, not a horrible movie but a strange plot that isn't very believable but standard fare I guess for these type movies. Wasn't worth $7 but if you can see it for free then it's 'ok' if you got nothing else to watch.