12 Rounds / The Marine (DVD) Review

12 Rounds

"I'm training the world's most dominant pug. He's going through a bulking phase."

I was suggested to watch this film several times. Si, my expectations about it were quite high. However, I should open a secret: when you expect a lot, the film usually turns out to be quite disappointing.

General Information

Director: Renny Harlin
Writer: Daniel Kunka
Cast
John Cena... Fisher
Aidan Gillen ... Jackson
Ashley Scott .. Molly Porter
Steve Harris ...George Aiken
Brian White ...Hank Carver
Gonzalo Menendez ...Ray Santiago
Taylor Cole ...Erica Kessen
Kyle Clements ...Dave Fisher
Peter Navy Tuiasosopo ...Willie Dumaine
Travis Davis ...Anthony Deluso
Nick Gomez ...Samuel
Brian Decaro ...FBI Agent Gator
Rosalind Rubin ...FBI Agent Sheila
Billy Slaughter ...Technician
Kim Collins ...Phil the Plumber
Genres: Action | Crime | Thriller
Country: USA
Language: English
Filming Locations: New Orleans, Louisiana, USA
Budget: $22 000 000 (estimated)
Opening Weekend: $5 329 240 (USA) 
Production Co: Fox Atomic, Mark Gordon Company, The Midnight Sun Pictures See 
Runtime: 108 min

The Work of Director

To begin with, it was one of the most disappointing things about the film. Renny Harlin is a Finn director who has never been a genius in his field, but he showed that he could shoot good thrillers and action films. But this film is a step backwards for Harlin. In my opinion, the film absolutely lacks original ideas, special effects, dramatic scenes, and interesting work of actors. I would call it a dynamic, but totally trite and secondary action movie who could be a good start for a beginner. But for Harlin, it looks like slapdash or careless work that does not correspond to his professional level.

I can't but mention the economy of budget of staging such a valuable and costly, judging by the plot, action film. The car chases look worse than in the Speed of 1994. The explosions are shot using close-u, without detailed elaboration and voluminous vision. Of course, action is not on the lowest level, but very close to it. Another hit at Harlin, whose films almost always were a visual 'banquet'.

Mixture of Plots

All in all, if we do not take into account the work of the director and do not expect 12 Rounds to be a great movie, the films is quite OK for watching once. It gives you some knowledge about popular American action films and cinematography of previous years. To my humble opinion, the film is a mixture of popular scenarios that do not make it original, including the one of the Speed, Die Hard 3 and some features of the Saw. They even may make you bored because you might have already seen all that. Fortunately, high dynamics of the plot does not let you fall asleep. 

Interesting Facts

• In order to shoot a car chase scenes, John Cena had to train with the New Orleans Police Department do his own stunt driving.
• The scenes where Danny is driving the fire truck were created with John Cena sitting in the cab, but the second steering wheel was hidden in the cab where a stunt driver concealed off camera controlled the vehicle.
• For every day of filming, director Renny Harlin rewarded the most valuable crew member of that day with a bottle of Finlandia vodka.
• Renny Harlin's (director's) son Lucas appears as the little boy with the hat in the street car.
• Renny Harlin appears at least three times in the beginning of the film. Besides, at the end of the film, you can hear Renny's voice over the radio in the helicopter that Miles Jackson tries to escape in.

The Marine

"I hate cops... and rock candy."

Perhaps, everyone remembers himself watching action films in their childhood, when you switched on TV and watched anything there was there. Maybe not, but I used to do so) So, The Marine seems to me an effort to recreate an action film of that kind. And this effort is not the worst, but not the best as well.

General information

Director: John Bonito
Writers: Michelle Gallagher (story), Michelle Gallagher (screenplay)
Cast
John Cena ...John Triton
Robert Patrick ... Rome
Kelly Carlson ...Kate Triton
Anthony Ray Parker ...Morgan
Abigail Bianca ...Angela
Jerome Ehlers ...Van Buren
Manu Bennett ...Bennett
Damon Gibson ...Vescera
Drew Powell ...Joe
Frank Carlopio ...Frank
Firass Dirani ...Al Qaeda Leader
Genres: Action | Drama | Thriller
Country: USA
Language: English | Arabic
Budget: $20 000 000 (estimated)
Opening Weekend: $7 138 774 (USA)
Production Co: Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation, WWE Studios, Pacific Film and Television Commission
Runtime: 92 min

Somewhat Unnatural

I would say so: the smallest explosion at the petrol station looked like the one in Hiroshima, and the film shows a number of such explosions.

Unlike 12 Rounds, I liked this film more. The creators have done a good job, designing explosions, dynamic chases, skirmish, and fighting. Of course, the main character looks like a real bulletproof superman since to drive a car with one hand on the speech of 120km/h and to hold a flak jacket and protect oneself from bullets is a bit difficult for a usual person.The cars are also supernatural: it can be all in holes from bullets, including the engine, but drives as a new. Paradox! The main villain is also not bad: after receiving a number of good hits and exploding in the house, he still is capable of move quickly and fight, even after his face and body has completely burnt.

Humour

To tell the truth, after 12 Rounds, I would not expect to laugh for almost all 90 minutes. But the film turned out to be full of humorous situations. The characters use classic cliché and the classics of genre. The story is shown in a humorous way, and the main characters, Robert Patrick and Anthony Ray Parker, don't stop cracking jokes.

Interesting Facts

• The movie was actually shot two years before it was released to theatres.
• On the back of the cop car at the ManZe gas station, the bumper reads "Donated by your local drug dealer."
• In the car chase scene, one of the accomplice shouted ''he is like terminator'' followed by Robert Patrick checking on the looking glass. In fact, Robert Patrick himself was starred in the movie Terminator.

Price & Availability

I recommend to purchase it through base.com for £ 5.59. You can also order it on Amazon, but there it costs £ 5.85 + £1.99 for postage & packaging.

Conclusion

12 Rounds - 3/10
The Marine - 6/10
12 Rounds is a typical representative of an old school action film, that could be popular and acceptable 10-15 years ago, but on the market of modern blockbusters, it looks cheap and weak.
The Marine also reminds me a film from the previous age, but its humour completely saves the situation. I laughed almost till the very end; thus, I recommend to watch it.

This review can be also found on Ciao under my nickname AliceBond.