Review of American Assassin (2017) by Troy C — 17 Sep 2017

This espionage action-thriller is actually a difficult movie to gauge. It's a wildly erratic bag of hits and misses; some elements are surprisingly excellent but there are also stretches of the film that are absolutely yawn inducing.

Based on Vince Flynn's 2010 novel of the same name, it attempts to combine the one-man-army guns'n'explosions-fest of the Arnie and Sly era with the resourceful-hero-who-makes-mistakes realism of Bourne and new age Bond.

Our eponymous anti-hero is Mitch Rapp (Dylan O'Brien), a tormented revenge-seeker whose sole focus is bringing down the terrorist cell who brutally murdered his fiancé. He's happy to die of course, which, although endearing to a certain extant, also means he makes some pretty stupid decisions.

O'brien is a solid action star who convinces in the hand-to-hand fights and gun battles whilst offering a decent dose of charisma, yet struggles to fully engage thanks to a few acting shortcomings.

Think a younger version of Keanu Reeves. He's supported by Michael Keaton (enjoying his career renaissance) as gruff CIA veteran Stan Hurley, but even the Oscar-nominated actor can't do much to hide the lacklustre and predictable script.

Occasionally feeling like a clever homage to 80s and 90s action flicks, but more often coming across as flat-out uninspired, the plot signposts its twists and hits its beats with the bland routine of typical straight-to-DVD dross.

Yet the set pieces are executed with an unexpected flair and brutality that gives them a compelling edge. A handful of sequences-including the shockingly violent opening and a bruising bathroom encounter-are nothing short of A-grade action.

Frustratingly inconsistent with moments of awesomeness, American Assassin could be your next favourite popcorn flick. Or the reason you stop spending your hard earned at the cinema.