Review of Criminal (2016) by Danielnites — 14 Apr 2016

Mind-melding sci-fi spy actioner Criminal stands as a derivative B-flick featuring tired action tropes fueled by the aging talent of former A-listers hoping to swoon the domestic market while, in reality, its sub-par performances and unenthusiastic plot barely pierces top VOD status.

Criminal's story rolls out with the quick and bloody write off of super spy Bill Pope (Ryan Reynolds) who had been tracking a Dutch hacker, affectionately named "The Dutchman", who possess a plot device-type backdoor to the US nuclear military command. In order to recover the last location of the Dutchman, screenwriters Douglas Cook and David Weisberg (The Rock) recruit London's finest Quaker Wells (Gary Oldman) who desperately recruits experimental neurosurgeon Dr. Franks (Tommy Lee Jones) to transfer Pope's memories into another brain using an explanation-not-necessary cutting-edge technique.

Dr. Franks, channeling a bored Jones, inexplicably insists on using brain-dead death row's resident sociopath Jericho Stewart (Kevin Costner) for the transfer. Jericho's lack of empathy, solitary condiment lifestyle and overall lack of human emotions concisely summarizes the film's short term goals while the newly-implanted memories and actions reflect the writers' self-serving ambitions.

From the inciting incident forward, Criminal stumbles from set-piece to set-piece as Jericho attempts to align himself with a modern day Frankenstein, snapping necks left and right and strangely reconnecting with Pope's widow Jill (Gal Gadot) who, along with Costner (at times), delivers a convincing performance despite the screenplay's contrived efforts to box them in. At one point, the film's intentions become too far-fetched and frankly too ambitious for a cut-and-dry action flick as Criminal careens towards unnecessary philosophical aims echoed in Jericho's emotional connection with the Pope family.

Inconsistent tonality and fleeting tension particularly around lead performances is indicative of Ariel Vromen's long nap at the helm as key scenes seem hammered unceremoniously together in post, sending the sensory volume into the stratosphere. The same can be said about Vremon's technical direction. While the action sequences will certainly satisfy genre diehards with its efficient off-brand Bourne-style package complete with shaky cams and pedestrian POV shots, it ultimately becomes an all-too-familiar distraction from the uninspired tale.

Criminal's largest problem is that it rests too comfortably on the laurels of the action genre, binging on its confidence, never feeling the need to innovative beyond an exotic locale or some flashy character trait. In truth, a rested and mindful cast and crew could surly transplant it into domestic box office territory.