Review of 2 Guns (2013) by Jesse O — 18 Dec 2013

This film is a pretty good showcase for Mark Wahlberg's and Denzel Washington's chemistry, but the scripting of the movie is certainly lacking. While Mark and Denzel have this playfully antagonistic chemistry with each other, I think it should've really been more antagonistic than it was.

The benchmark for this is definitely Midnight Run, where Robert De Niro and Charles Grodin really acted as if they hated each other. I don't think any buddy after this has matched up to that level.

Mark and Denzel play it like 'I hate you, but I really don't' and while, again, they have great chemistry, it should've been a little angrier to me. The story is generic and predictable.

Stig and Bobby are doing undercover work for the Marines and the DEA, respectively, and they get set up to take a fall by both of their individual bosses and the money they robbed actually belonged to the CIA who, obviously, is now going after these guys.

Admittedly, I found most of the film to be pretty forgettable, as I watched it yesterday and I'm having trouble remembering most of it. So why'd I give it the rating? Again, I thought Denzel and Mark were pretty great together and that definitely made the film more watchable than it would've been otherwise, and I just like how every faction comes together in the climax, and the climactic shootout is well-done.

Though it isn't particularly impressive, especially considering the previous film I've seen, Drug War by Johnnie To, had some incredible action scenes. So yea, great leads and some decent action scenes make the film a solid rental at best, but one that will quickly be forgotten because of it's formulaic and predictable script.