Review of 12 Rounds (2009) by Timothy S — 27 Nov 2011

Somebody within the World Wrestling Entertainment family seems intent on turning its superstar John Cena into a movie star whether we want it or not. "12 Rounds" doesn't quite do that, but it is a step in the right direction. While his last effort "The Marine" felt like a made-for-video effort, this has the look and feel of a big-budget action flick.

Getting action film veteran Renny Harlin to direct this was a smart choice, as the action sequences are big, bold and exciting. Some of the stand-out moments include the runaway trolley sequence and a real nail-biring moment inside an elevator rigged with explosives. Cena himself is a very likable person, and you keep with this picture because of him. But the film is, for the most part, completely humorless and that may be its one fatal flaw. Even the writers for the WWE make use of his natural charm and sense of humor, but for two films in a row now, he's been all-too-seriouson the big screen.

The filmmakers would have been wise the fill the picture with a talented, recognizable supporting cast instead of this entirely unknown bunch of actors. Newcomer Aiden Gillen doesn't do a bad job as the main heavy, but I couldn't help thinking that the movie could have benefited from having Cena play opposite of a bif name star. I was thinking either Jason Statham or even Ben Kingsley.

The plot is very reminiscent of the original "Dirty Harry", but that doesn't detract much from the fun to be had. "12 Rounds" feels like a mini summer movie in the middle of spring. The action is hot, but the rest of it could use some spice.