Gunman

I was pleasantly surprised by this film given the negative reception that it had received.

For the most part, the acting ranges from serviceable to good. Sean Penn falls in the latter, as he embodies the typical action hero role in a believable manner. Jasmine Trinca is okay, though to be fair it's not like she's given much to work with from the script. And Javier Bardem has a lot of fun with the role, though at times his acting is more theatrical, and seems like it should be in a different movie. And to those who wish to see the movie solely due to Idris Elba, I have to warn you he's in the movie for about a total of 10 minutes.

The characters aren't particularly deep, and they most certainly all fall within clichés (ex. killer who regrets his past and is trying to make amends), however for the most part I found the characters to be entertaining. Annie was the weakest character as the stereotypical love interest, which hurts the movie as it wants the audience to care about the relationship between her and Terrier.

Just as the characters are all that well fleshed out, neither is the story. It's pretty basic and easy to follow, and the movie goes along the familiar beats of the genre. At first I hated a certain plot point concerning a certain character's head trauma, but it ended up making for a more interesting movie as it helped make a character less invincible and also has a vital affect on the story.

The action is well done, with it being pretty easy to follow and nice to look at. It's not too bombastic, and consist more of hand-to-hand combat, surprise attacks, and use of the environment. I found it very refreshing how both the protagonist and antagonist utilized the environment, as it made the action more interesting and exciting to watch. Terrier also isn't a one man wrecking crew killing 30 guys with no effort; he dispatches some easily, but as the movie goes on, there are times when he meets an equal and is harmed. At the beginning the fights have a bit of shaky cam to them, but that quickly goes away, which ends up working in the movie's favor.

Despite the very standard characters and plot, I had a fun time with this movie. I'd certainly recommend it for anyone who's a huge fan of action, as it's a good way to past the time and have some fun.

'The Gunman' opens with the BBC footage that civil war has erupted in the Democratic Republic of Congo between rebel militia and governmental forces locked in a bloody civil war for the control of the country's prized natural resources. Enter Jim Terrier (Sean Penn), a NGO worker providing security while an airstrip is being built. In the middle of chaotic Congo, Jim has fallen in love with Annie (Jasmine Trinca), a Doctors Without Borders volunteer. Annie has attracted the heart of not only Jim but also co worker Felix (Javier Bardem). Felix's jealousy is readily apparent and can only spell disaster for Jim and Annie's relationship. Only a few minutes into the film we discover that both Jim and Feliz are living dual lives. Jim is a hired assassin for a multinational mining company, which is set on protecting their interests in the war torn Congo. Felix is the civil liaison for the foreign mining companies and Sean Penn's assassin team. When the Minister of Mining in the Congo nullifies all mining contracts with foreign companies, Jim is activated by his employer who wants the politician assassinated. The team of four assassins is lead by Cox (Mark Rylance) who announces to his sharp shooters that Felix will decide which of the assassins will take the fatal shot and then said assassin will have to flee the continent immediately after. No surprise Felix chooses Jim to take the shot and having accomplished the mission, Jim is forced to leave Africa and Annie without so much as a goodbye. 8 years later Jim has reunited with the African continent as a UNICEF employee drilling wells when suddenly his past assassination comes back to haunt him. For the next hour and a half, Jim must circumvent Europe to track down who has knowledge of his past deeds and understand why he is wanted dead. Without giving any spoilers, the reason 'The Gunman'never gets off the ground is because the film is unable to sustain any intrigue. Jim is a glorified henchman for a multinational corporation, he is hardly the hero that you want to root for. Jim's character is drawn so thin you know very little about him to care enough whether he lives or dies. Additionally his relationship with Annie earns so little screen time before being abruptly halted that you invest almost nothing in the possibilities of Jim and Annie rekindling at some later date. The questions that Jim seeks answer to could have easily been solved with a couple phone calls, but instead his contacts send him on a treasure hunt around Europe. Apparently the information Jim needs is only accessible with a change of location at each turn. Each new venue invites its share of killers and combat. While Jim is on his mission for answers, we catch wind that Interpol, headed by Idris Elba, has Jim on their surveillance. Interpol seems one step ahead of Jim in terms of solving the puzzle, however they are convinced Jim is the linchpin to cracking the case. The final act of the movie is very predictable not to mention familiar and even a bit silly. Sean Penn's physique in the film is impressive and we are constantly reminded how much the actor got in shape for the role considering how much screen time his giant biceps earn. There are hardly any production credits that are distinguishable and worth mentioning here. Ultimately, the film underwhelms and feels like it wants to cash in on the fan base of the retired Bourne franchise.

I don't think I ever saw Sean Penn do an action movie.

Not sure if he's at that point in his career were he does not care or he just feels he can't be a well diverse actor without having this on his resume.

Either way he does a good performance as one, and was impressively built but not overdone for the role.

The movie does go over some political satire with his character playing a Metaphor of the guilt we all should all feel about our own involvement in what's going on in the Congo.

Guess he felt this will be a better way to spread his word to the masses. Penn was wrong about that. I got very little from this flick.

Although the movie is mostly laid with espionage and sprinkled with action, neither elements got my pulse pounding.

Javier Barton is good in this movie. He's a great actor and it's fun to see him on the big screen as Penn's rival for the affections of a woman.

But if you are fans of Idris Elba, like I am, don't let his top billing fool you. He's barely in it, and his role does nothing to help the film.

I like the film but I snoozed though it. Penn brought nothing new to the genre and I was hoping he would but he did not.

Catch on DVD.

Hit man Jim Terrier (Sean Penn) assassinates the Congo's Minister of Mines, leaves the country for 8-years, comes back to dig wells for the people and then he's targeted. Now he has to find out who is after him. Oh, and he suffers from PTSD. Let the games begin.

We normally don't see Sean Penn in this kind of action hero role. Maybe that is because Matt Damon hasn't done a Jason Bourne movie in a great while and others have to take up the slack. So the question is who will be the next Jason Bourne? HA !

What we have is a pretty good suspenseful thriller. Here's the thing: we are not sure if Jim Terrier will make it all the way as he gets banged up often. Yes, we are cringing and bandaging ourselves from time to time. Ouch. Ouch. Ouch. The director gave us the suspense and tension all the way through, and we are not sure who Jim Terrier can trust of those who used to work with him back in the day. And his PTSD symptoms crop up at inopportune times (isn't that always the case?) and don't make things easy for him (indeed).

Notables: Javier Bardem as Felix; Ray Winstone as Stanley; Mark Rylance as Cox; and Idris Elba as Barnes. And then there is Jasmine Trinca as Annie, the love Jim Terrier left behind after the shooting of the Minister of Mines. She is nothing but beautiful (you falling in love again?) and she can act.

We do see some very good landscapes in London, the Congo and in Spain that also gave us a bullfight arena. No CGI as the fights were all real natural stunts and very cringe worthy (Ouch. Ouch. Ouch.) (7/10)

Violence: Yes. Sex: No. Nudity: No. Language: Yes, at times.

Based on the novel The Prone Gunman, by Jean-Patrick Manchette, 'The Gunman' is a decent action-thriller, that's engaging, but only in parts. While the action has sharpness to it, the thriller aspect doesn't entirely work.

'The Gunman' Synopsis: A sniper on a mercenary assassination team, kills the minister of mines of the Congo. Terrier's successful kill shot forces him into hiding. Returning to the Congo years later, he becomes the target of a hit squad himself.

'The Gunman' begins with force, but loses momentum mid-way. I wasn't rooting for the hero on the run, after a point. Also, the identity of the culprit, lacks the bite & offers no shock value. Its predictable to the core. But, the action-sequences work! Not only are they sharply choreographed & executed, they also lend toughness to the narrative.

Don Macpherson, Pete Travis & Sean Penn's Screenplay is okay. Though it isn't without merit, it still isn't powerful enough. Pierre Morel's Direction is stylish. Cinematography is impressive. Editing is ordinary. Marco Beltrami's Score is fine.

Performance-Wise: Sean Penn delivers a committed performance, yet again! He enacts the protagonist with complete honesty & his striking physique stands out. He looks terrific here! Jasmine Trinca is nicely restrained. Javier Bardem looks jaded & least interested in the goings-on. Ray Winstone is, as always, competent. Mark Rylance is fair. Idris Elba is wasted.

On the whole, 'The Gunman' is a so-so fare.