Review of Homefront (2013) by Steve W — 13 Dec 2013

Homefront seems like it would be one of those cheesy action thrillers, where the equivalent would be an action hero getting harassed by rednecks in a bar, and the bartender says: Lay off him Skinner he didn't do nothing, and then the hero beats up all the badguys.

Homefront is exactly this, but they manage to have a little heart because of the relationship between the father and daughter. Newcomer Izabela Vidovic is pretty good in the innocent girl role, and the duo get into some trouble in a backwater small town looking for some peace and quiet.

Not quite an action flick but not a thriller, but not a drama, it manages to blend in quite a lot of genres. Statham has to play a father in this movie, and its funny how awkward how he can play the strong silent type who has to sometimes communicate with others. Kate Bosworth is a foul and bitchy mother, and James Franco is not a funny guy, he's a violent small time meth dealer. The acting in this movie is pretty good.

The thing that really bothers me about this film is the tonal shifts. One moment Statham is having a quiet and reflective day with his daughter at the riverside, in the next he's got his hands tied and is fighting three men, and wins without question.

The theme that seems to present is how the actions of parents affect children. I don't think this was supposed to be an apparent theme by Stallone, or maybe it was. There is this very poignant scene in which the villain Gator confronts his sister (Bosworth) and tells her he will no longer provide her with drugs. The mother argues and they fight, but stop when they realize her son could be listening. The son is wide awake, tears rolling down his cheeks. This is why he bullies Statham's daughter in the film. He doesn't have a stable home life, and it affects his peers.

But enough with theme, Statham gets to kick ass because he's Statham. He takes out a small army of bikers and gets through the ordeal without a scratch. This is where the tone shifts get bothersome. One moment drama, next moments explosions. Homefront is easy B movie fun, but with a bit more work it could have had some solid themes to go with the thrills.