2022 is still a relevant year to be a Jesse V. Johnson fan, particularly this summer if you’re subscribed to streaming platforms like AMC+ or Well Go USA’s Hi-YAH TV, the latter where a few of his titles will soon be arriving. The former of course is currently running the exclusive premiere of his latest film, White Elephant, returning Johnson to the gangster genre once more following up the explosive turn out at the helm for Nina Bergman starrer, Hell Hath No Fury.
Mob boss Arnold Solomon (Bruce Willis) and his lawyer Glen (John Malkovich) are on the precipice of a business deal with the Russians, which effectively means eliminating the competitive Mexican cartel. Caught in the mix of their violent retribution are two cops staking out the cartel who end up getting made by Solomon’s people, including Vanessa Flynn (Olga Kurylenko) who now finds herself in the wind after being targeted by Solomon’s men as one of the witnesses of the cartel’s assassination.
This is where mob enforcer and widower Gabriel Tancredi (Michael Rooker) and former Marine scout sniper-turned-hitman Carlos (Vadhir Derbez) come in, as they are both tasked by Solomon to take out Vanessa and her partner, forcing Solomon on the run when Carlos descends onto her home. The incident soon reveals the presence of dirty cops, as well as more problems for Tancredi who is already well on his way out, and for Solomon as the violence of his world brings tragic ramifications that drive him to lash out.
Between following Solomon’s orders and honoring the wishes of his late wife, however, it’s up to Tancredi to make the most important choice at the twilight of his career, and with any luck and enough bullets, and the help of a potential ally in Vanessa, hopefully he’ll live to tell about it.
If you watch enough of Johnson’s films, you’ll notice an underlining cinematic tapestry he weaves between certain set pieces, plot devices and characters. To that affect, White Elephant could easily be interpreted as a legacy sequel to one of his previous works, The Beautiful Ones, which Gravitas Ventures released in the U.S. about five years ago, as it pertains to its own incarnation of Tancredi, played by Ross McCall, and with grisly results that aren’t particularly seen in Rooker’s latest portrayal. It’s likely not at all a sequel in the direct sense, but whichever way you slice it, Rooker does a fantastic job of carrying the mantle.
Parallel to Gabriel’s arc is that of Vanessa’s as we follow her search for answers about the people in on Solomon’s efforts to try and kill her. Kurylenko brings out another stellar performance in an action role that’s consistent with a lot of her work in the last decade, and with the actress set to recur with Johnson at some point later this year with period piece, Boudica, she’ll remain a great addition to the pantheon of protagonists in Johnson’s directing resumè
One other plot device you’ll see in some of these films are certain deplorable types like the role of Carlos. His is especially a character that stands as one of the more prevalent types in a film like this, given how much space personal and specific idelogies take up in today’s millieu. Of course, his worldview is less so the centerpiece of his character, but if his peculiar and rather offensive tattoo doesn’t make it clear enough, what he says in his first scene should do it plenty, you only need to hear it once when he says it. It’s also worth keeping in mind the location of his tattoo right down to his last scene in the film, and I say this deliberately without explanation in the hopes you’ll take my word for it.
Another fun addition to the cadre of seedy characters here is Luke LaFontaine gets another sizeable speaking role in his latest collab with Johnson in both stunts and acting capacities. At this point I wouldn’t mind seeing LaFontaine play a main villain with a much larger presence in film, because just as he is in the film’s stunt and fight coordination, LaFontaine is also amply talented as an actor.
Further along the way here with fan service is the casting of Bruce Willis in one of his last screen roles leading up to his recent retirement from acting. Some of Willis’s performances of late have been hit or miss, and the same goes for this instance and thankfully, he along with Malkovich in their own seperate scenes in the film as they don’t have any scenes together in the years since Red and Red 2, leaves a serviceable and lasting impression as the film’s key antagonist.
The film has good pacing throughout with at least one overlong musical interlude in the first half of the film, though nothing too lagging going forward. For the most part, you get a smartly-crafted thriller that makes the most out of what it has with a small budget and limited production period, and with action that retains the same level of pulpy violence, blood and gore with enough exploding squibs to suffice in one serving, which is standard Johnson action fanfare by now. You get what you pay for, and fairly plenty of it to earn your praise.