Review of Four Brothers (2005) by Adam A — 19 Dec 2009

What most highbrow 'critics' fail to get is this simple rule. Not all movies are made to be classics. Some are done for sheer entertainment, and Four Brothers rocks in that arena. The story is simple; old lady is murdered, and her four adopted sons try to find out who did it and why. It's an action revenge flick, and since when did that become a bad thing?

It's a little odd to see Mark 'Condom Full of Walnuts' Wahlberg shed tears its true, but he plays the hard basterd gang leader of these first class fuck ups with a hard edged sheen. Released around the same time as his scene stealing performance in I 'heart' Huckabees and a few years before his Oscar Nod for The Departed, it is obvious the actor is trying to very gently take serious steps into being taken...well seriously (also see him in Three Kings for further evidence) and he doesn't handle himself badly. The three other boys all bring they're characters to life, Benjamin gives a credible performance as the straight family/business man, Hedlund (soon to be taking over the lead in the sequel to the Jeff Bridges' cult Sci-Fi classic Tron) is quietly cool as the younger naive brother. And Gibson does well despite not having much of a backstory. The four leads have great chemistry, and bring some needed comic relief. There's vertically no romance except for Gibson's Angel whose humourous relationship with Latino babe Sofia brings a light touch to proceedings. But all in all, this is about action and payback. Which is delievers in spades, and with the brilliant Terrence Howard as back up and director Singleton back on his game for the first time in years, what we get is an ass kicking movie that doesn't outstay it's welcome. It's nothing really new or spectacular, almost strangely borders on over sentimentality more then once, but its fun goddamn it! And that's what matters! Who can seriously not like a film which opens with Jefferson Airplane's Somebody To Love swiftly followed by Marvin Gaye's Troubled Man? Although a word to the wise to the usually reliable Chiwetel Ejiofor, when your next again cast as the bad guy, try not to ham it up too much.