Review of Brick Mansions (2014) by Jeff B — 11 May 2014

Brick Mansions.

Paul Walker, RZA.

Propulsive and explosive but not quick witted enough, late actor Paul Walker's penultimate adventure moves fast and furiously but still manages to come across as slow witted. Even though it ultimately involves an actual rocket, Brick Mansions never pretends to involve actual rocket science. The story unapologetically embraces preposterousness at an automatic clip. Still, some of the sequences hit moviegoers like a ton of Brick Mansions, especially those involving free running fisticuffs. Sadly, however, all involved don't think twice about including poorly edited filmic tricks like jump shot editing in lieu of continuity. Despite knowing exactly what it is, this 'Slam Bam Thank You, Ma'am' actioner gets average results because it holds back. It should've been built like an R-rated Brick Craphouse. With a set-up this ludicrous, this flick needed to be funnier, ballsier, and out-and-out crazier like the flick it's based on, Escape from District 13.

In this PG-13-rated crime thriller, an undercover Detroit cop (Walker) navigates a dangerous neighborhood surrounded by a containment wall in order to bring down a crime lord (RZA).

Moviegoers keen to catch one of the last notches on always entertaining actor Paul Walker's CV may want to pump their brakes until Fast & Furious 7 bows next year...though, if you saw the last chapter, this too holds dubious prospects. Not surprisingly, moviegoers subjected to sometime screenwriter Luc Besson's recent output of dummy bullet stories (Columbiana, The Family, 3 Days to Kill) will find that he hasn't improved his craft much with this adaptation of his own story. Most of the problems prove technical, however. Editor-turned-director Camille Delamarre should've spent more time honing her former vocation before remaking a well regarded French actioner. Brick Mansions is more choppily stitched together than a dollar store Frankenstein.

Bottom line: Escape from New Yawn.