Judging from the poor box office numbers and even worse reviews, this will probably not be the smash hit of the summer. But is it awful? I wouldn't say so. It has its dull moments, and the plot contains very little originality, but I found it watchable and quite entertaining. My number one fear going into this film was Chris Rock. Now, I like him very much as a comedian, but he tends to have problems distinguishing when he's supposed be a comedian and when he's supposed to be an actor. That's why I was pleasantly surprised by his performance in this film. He shows a lot more discipline than I would expect, especially in the scenes between him and his girlfriend. Unfortunately, in the third act he loses it. That's when he gets caught in high-speed car chases and screams silly lines like "I wanna watch Oprah!" It's silly one-liners like that which decrease the tension of the otherwise spectacular action sequences. But overall, I was impressed with Rock, though he can still use a few acting lessons.
Anthony Hopkins is one of my favorite actors, but he's given a throwaway role as the snooty CIA agent who rolls his eyes any time Rock acts the least bit unprofessional, and every once in a while makes time to squelch out fragments of dry humor. The role could've been played by any fifth-rate actor. Hopkins really isn't given much to do.
I didn't appreciate Joel Schumacher's dim use of lighting. It worked well in one of his previous films, "Flatliners," but in that case it fit the tone quite well. In a more upbeat action-comedy like this, I'd expect brighter lighting. But the action scenes are well-done and well-choreographed. As I said, they would've been more fun if Chris Rock were to shut his mouth.
"Bad Company" is far from magnificent, but it serves its purpose. I don't suppose I'll watch it on many repeat viewings, though. But I laughed, I had fun. Overall, I had a good time. I'm not suggesting you rush to theaters to see this movie, but it's worth watching.
My score: 7 (out of 10)
Anthony Hopkins is one of my favorite actors, but he's given a throwaway role as the snooty CIA agent who rolls his eyes any time Rock acts the least bit unprofessional, and every once in a while makes time to squelch out fragments of dry humor. The role could've been played by any fifth-rate actor. Hopkins really isn't given much to do.
I didn't appreciate Joel Schumacher's dim use of lighting. It worked well in one of his previous films, "Flatliners," but in that case it fit the tone quite well. In a more upbeat action-comedy like this, I'd expect brighter lighting. But the action scenes are well-done and well-choreographed. As I said, they would've been more fun if Chris Rock were to shut his mouth.
"Bad Company" is far from magnificent, but it serves its purpose. I don't suppose I'll watch it on many repeat viewings, though. But I laughed, I had fun. Overall, I had a good time. I'm not suggesting you rush to theaters to see this movie, but it's worth watching.
My score: 7 (out of 10)