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 t's official. The Rock, aka Dwayne Johnson, is the new
Arnold Schwarzenegger. And if you don't think the big S knows, you must have
missed the blink-and-you'll-miss cameo by the Governator at the beginning of
"The Rundown". After cutting his teeth on the high on action but low
on acting fantasy "The
Scorpion King", which was probably the safest bet Johnson could have
placed as his debut entry into the acting game, "The Rundown" proves
that Johnson has more than what it takes to be a major action star. Not only is
the ex-wrestler physically cut out for the title, he has the acting chops and
natural charisma to expand the mantle of what it means to be an "Action
Star".
Which isn't to say "The Rundown" is anything but
a brainless action movie, because it's not. The film stars Johnson as Beck, a
"retrieval specialist" (aka bountyhunter). Because he owes an
unexplained debt to an L.A. mobster, Beck is called to go on one last mission --
retrieve the mobster's ne'er-do-well son Travis (Seann William Scott), who is
somewhere in the Amazons looking for an ancient relic. In the Amazons, Beck
encounters fortune hunter Hatcher (Christopher Walken), a white man with a small
army who has made the local populace into indentured servants so they will work
his dangerous mines. He also meets Mariana (Rosario Dawson), a feisty bartender
who turns out to be something more. But finding Travis was the easy part, it's
getting out that's hard.
To be honest, I had no idea Johnson was capable of the
charm he showcases here. The man is quite good in the role, and I kept thinking
that this guy is not only going to go places, but he's going to be playing a
wider choice of roles than his action star brethrens. And when he does decide to
stretch his acting muscles, he's going to be convincing. That last
statement may seem a tad farfetched based on this one movie; then again, Johnson
is that good. For a lot of reasons, Johnson has proven that he's a pretty
savvy fellow. His choice of "The Scorpion King" and now "The
Rundown" are excellent ways to move into more demanding roles. His upcoming
film, the remake of "Walking Tall", may be the big starring vehicle he
needs to launch his career up another notch.
But back to the movie at hand:
"The Rundown" is all wild action, all the time.
In-between the fisticuffs and elaborate stunts, we get fast and furious humor
courtesy of Seann William Scott ("Stark
Raving Mad"), whose mouth runs at 100 miles a minute throughout the
film. His scenes with Beck, after the two become lost in the jungles, are worth
a lot of laughs. Quick quips aside, the film is nonstop action, with enough
high-wire acts, extreme wireworks, and physical punishment for the stars and
their stunt doubles to fill up three action movies. What makes the movie's
stylized visuals even more impressive is that it's all under the direction of
Peter Berg ("The
Last Seduction"), who is best known for his acting. "The
Rundown" is Berg's second feature-length film, and it uses just about every
camera trick and high-tech special effects Hollywood can offer.
In fact, there are more special effects in "The
Rundown" than I had expected, which is not necessarily a bad thing.
Considering that the CGI seems to compliment the movie rather than stick out
like a sore thumb, the choice to not further endanger the actors seems only
fair. The minor girl power quotient is supplied by Dawson's Mariana, who is
unfortunately little more than background material, much like the Brazilian
jungle (or wherever the movie was filmed). In a movie with so much testosterone,
firepower, and a wacky villain courtesy of the King of Wacky Actors Christopher
Walken, Dawson should probably be thankful she didn't end up on the cutting room
floor altogether.
"The Rundown" is definitely for those who want
nonstop and mindless action, snappy patter from its two charming leads, and
little else. I would normally deride the film for being so shallow and
unsubstantial, but the film does what it does so bloody well you can't help but
tip your hat to it. The screenplay by R.J. Stewart and James Vanderbilt ("Basic")
is so brisk that by the time the excellent final 30-minute action sequence comes
around you wonder where all the time has gone. The execution is that
good.
"The Rundown" is, without a doubt, good stuff.
See it for the crazy stunts, the Hong Kong inspired wireworks, and forget about
carrying a useful thought for about 100 minutes. I promise that you won't be
bored for one moment.
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