OK. This movie was bad. I mean really bad. I usually start with the plot and then mention what I think but I just couldn’t help myself. On the surface, the premise is quite OK.
Jack Bishop (Simon Baker) is a loving husband and a father who coaches girls’ soccer team where his 11-year-old daughter Toby (Chloe Moretz) also plays. His first wife -Toby’s mom- is dead but Toby seems to be getting alone fine with her stepmother Amaya (Paz Vega). A good marriage, a simple life. There are implications of black magic in the movie but hey, you don’t mind. Maybe there are essential to the plot line and maybe it will all make perfect sense at some point. The simple and happy family life is ruined when Toby is kidnapped. Jack is devastated and so is Amaya. They try anything and everything to find Toby. But as the story unfolds, it will become apparent that no one and nothing is quite what it seems, except Jack’s love for Toby.
I might get into spoilers so read on at your peril:
The pace is slow. But sometimes slow pays off. Not this time. We are thrown weird twists here and there, like Jack actually speaks Spanish when his wife thinks he can’t. Whores in Mexico seem to know who is and they know him by another name. The black magic thing is something…that the writer wants you to suspect that it will relate to the story…It does but it never makes any sense. Jack’s identity as a loving father doesn’t add up. Amaya’s 10 year-old acting is ridiculous. The daughter’s reaction is absolutely ridiculous. The picture in the beginning- the picture of Toby’s mother- does belong to Claire Forlani. And she also has a ridiculous role in the film, just like the rest of the cast.
You wan t more specifics? Please ask me in the comments. I can go into as much detail as you like. I like Simon Baker, I really do. But this movie is off. Whatever genre or pace it was aiming, it is off. I don’t even get what attracted Simon to the script in the first place. There is nothing that’s attractive about the movie. Well, except the one part where Simon tortures and wastes the long-haired bad guy. That was cool. But if you want Simon to go all affectionate, watch Something New. If you want him all smart, watch The Mentalist. This is rated 4.5 on IMDB, voted by over 600 people. And frankly, even 4.5 is way overrated.
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I am sorry, Pinar, but I must disagree… it wasn’t that bad. Actually, it was intriguing. Simon was simply great and extremely sexy. This movie made me admire Simon as a very talented actor; because he convinced me with his amazing performance.
Well, Simon is always good but…the story here never added up. The hitman who is so into black magic ended up being a perfect father and citizen? And he really was smart enough to get rid of all traces and became somebody else for 10 years but he does believe in magic? Did the magic actually work? If the magic works and he is so damned good at it, why did he kill his ex wife? And why didn’t he kill his other wife and sheriff who tried to kill him and his daughter? And the daughter’s reaction? C’mon…
I have to admit I have a hard time getting lost in a story where the characters’ actions don’t make sense in their own context. Some ideas are good, I loved Simon’s actions as the tormented father and hey- he is indeed really sexy, no arguements there, but as a movie…it disappointed me more than it intrigued me.
p.s. favorite scene: when he trapped the black-haired guy in the motel room and used the bottles on him. That was wild;)
I clearly see that you hated the movie… well, the hitman could become a good father and husband, yes, why not?
His beliefs were a bit distorted, I agree. But, many people have a double life and double personality. He tried to change, but his “past” did not allow him to do so.
Yes, the motel room scene is my favourite too. Very wild indeed ;):):)
This reminded me a song. I think it is an indie band’s, called Plain White Ts and it goes “hate is a strong word, but I really don’t like you”. So I don’t hate the movie. I just don’t really like it. And I was disappointed really. But hey, Simon is really popular so he will have many more movies that will satisfy both of us:)
But yep, that scene makes me happy:) He has worked out;)