Actually saw this last week, right before it was pulled from wide release.

I like Jason Statham...I like old school action flicks...what can I say?

Well, I can say that I definitely did not love this.  I didn't hate it either, but it's not good, it's quickly forgettable, and way too long and convoluted.

Directed by Taylor Hackford, who has a long line of success, and produced with a nice $30 Million budget, you'd think this would have turned out better, and made alot more money.  Throw in Jennifer Lopez and...oh wait...J Lo?  Yeah, J Lo.  Uhhh, she was not good in this at all.  In fact, IMO, she was a problem from the moment she was intro'd.

This was adapted from a novel by Donald E. Westlake, writing as 1 of his many pseudonyms, Richard Stark.  The novel is Flashfire, but I read that the character Parker is in many of this guy's works, much like Jack Reacher.  I am not familiar with the source material, but here's my take on what happened...

The idea surfaced to to turn Parker into a movie star.  Statham signed on.  Hackford signed on.  Money came in.  And then J Lo came on board.  I imagine she was paid well, so the writers had to increase her screen time and character involvement, which was a huge mistake and really sunk this ship.  If anyone is familiar with the novel, let me know if I'm right or wrong.

Bottom line is this - lots of potential here, but everything is rather silly in the ease in which it happens and so many dumb, unreal decisions are made by characters.  Parker is basically indestructible to the point of it all being too over the top.

Finally, Daniel Bernhardt's badass killer dude is under utilized to the point of being a cinematic sin.  His confrontation with Statham is fantastic, but once it's over, so is Bernhardt, way too early in the film.

Catch it on Blu Ray and have a big bowl of popcorn with you so you stay awake during the 118 minute runtime.

Thanks for the heads up. When the trailer's best foot is Statham's attempt to identify his character by name in Bond fashion, it screams "corny".

Update - Now Streaming on Netflix.

Yeah, the character of Parker has shown up in other adaptations, although the name was usually altered, most notably Payback, w/ Mel Gibson. ("Porter") As for Parker, I thought it was alright. You are right about J Lo. Her character is intro'd so late in the film, at first she seems like she's in a rom-com. The role itself is interchangable. There was once a day when I used to like the actress. But she phoned it in.

Quoted from DarrenJamesSeeley Yeah, the character of Parker has shown up in other adaptations, although the name was usually altered, most notably Payback, w/ Mel Gibson. ("Porter")

Hm, interesting bit of info I didn't know.

Gibson was great in his Porter/Parker role, that's for sure.

Statham just seems the same in every movie he does.

Quoted from Guest Hm, interesting bit of info I didn't know. Gibson was great in his Porter/Parker role, that's for sure. Statham just seems the same in every movie he does.

Some of my friends share his Facebook page. All he does is post 'cool' pictures of himself!!  Ok, he's a star but he ain't a mega star in my book.  And yes he does always play the same larrikin Cockney or whatever.

But it's hilarious seeing these photos of himself lovingly shared on FB

Stahom's new film coming out Thanksgiving day looks AWESOME!!!

Here's hoping at least...

Quoted from Dreamscale Stahom's new film coming out Thanksgiving day looks AWESOME!!! Here's hoping at least...

I'm watching it because Stallone wrote the script and he is not acting in it. That's unlike him, I'm wondering what drew him to the project? I'm curious.