GUNNER (2024) Review – BMC Preview
It’s been close to twelve years since I restarted this journey a little more formally as a “news guy” – less so of a “review” guy as I was only just beginning to find my own rhythm. That search eventually evolved into something that implored me to be a little more responsible in how I watch movies, thusly calibrating a lot of my viewpoints into that of someone who some filmmakers won’t take kindly to. I’m okay with that, frankly, as I would rather be a critic and enjoy what I do than someone’s proverbial cat’s paw, and be a little more honest with my perceptions on film. Especially when it comes to action.
Enter Acme Rocket Fuel’s Dimitri Logothetis, known as the frontman for the current Kickboxer reboot franchise which includes its upcoming third installment, and sci-fi action thriller, Jiu Jitsu, which is based on an in-house graphic novel. I’ve had plenty to say about these films and then some, and so it’s no stretch at this juncture to say how frustrating it is to see a director efforting to craft something that intends to cater to my needs as a filmgoer, only to fall short of being a winner in my book. Thankfully, Logothetis’s latest movie, Gunner, does toil a little more when it comes to brimming its talent roster, and for a film that does manage to accomplish just a little more than its maker’s predecessors. And really, without going into the negatives, that’s about all it does.
The core cast gets the flowers it deserves with Luke Hemsworth continually proving to be one of the strongest choices to lead an action vehicle I’ve seen since I first caught him in Kriv Stender’s hitman comedy, Kill Me Three Times, and up until his most recent supporting role for sibling star Liam Hemsworth in William Eubank’s Land Of Bad. The film also stars Mykel Shannon Jenkins who’s been making waves for roughly about the same period, including with roles in Bao Tran’s The Paper Tigers, as well as his own independent crime drama thrillers, The Gods and its sequel, The Gods 2: The Dark Side.
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