American Assassin Review: 2 Ups & 8 Downs

3. The Supporting Cast Is Completely Wasted

American Assassin Sanaa Lathan
Lionsgate

Talk about a movie that fails to take advantage of a talented supporting cast. Sanaa Lathan is squandered as a stuffy, dull CIA Deputy Director, Shiva Negar plays a personality-free field agent who's there to be eye candy and not much else, the legendary David Suchet shows up for a cup of coffee, and martial arts master Scott Adkins ends up unconvincingly getting his a** kicked by Dylan O'Brien. Just...what!?

These actors are all clearly here for an easy payday, but it's still dispiriting to see them put to such feckless use, as largely cardboard characters free of personality, charisma or general interest. Would it have killed them to put one interesting female character in the film?

Advertisement
Contributor
Contributor

Stay at home dad who spends as much time teaching his kids the merits of Martin Scorsese as possible (against the missus' wishes). General video game, TV and film nut. Occasional sports fan. Full time loon.