2 Guns
Release Date: August 2 Oscar Prospects: Bad 2 Guns, which proves its hipness and edginess by refusing to spell out the number "two", looks to be another dismally sepia-toned action flick that's, "raw and real, but you know, big and bold, and a lot of witty one-liners to boot." In other words, an unmitigated mess. While I don't mean to overly disparage those looking forward to the movie, from this critic's point of view, the movie looks like another crassly convoluted attempt to cash in on the caricatures the two lead actors have become. Denzel Washington and Mark Wahlberg play a DEA agent and an undercover Naval Intelligence officer who are unwittingly investigating one another thanks to some crafty maneuvering by the mob, the criminal organization both agents believe they had been stealing money from. No doubt once the truth is discovered by the two men, and after the obligatory comical confrontation scene between the two leads before they understand the true nature of their situation, the heroes go from rivals to partners as they kick ass and take names of the mafiosos who set them up. The premise actually isn't too terrible and could even be intriguing if handled with a crafty pair of hands, but then you discover the story is based on a graphic novel (Goddamned graphic novels) and any hope of restraint and intelligence goes flying out the door. The other problem, as I alluded to earlier, are the film's two stars. Both Mr. Washington and Mr. Wahlberg have some talent as actors, but unfortunately this is not a vehicle that looks to accentuate their abilities. In fact, 2 Guns looks just like the type of film to indulge the two thespians in their worst habits. Washington will undoubtedly come bearing his trademark "tough-guy" smirk and chuckle, with a few sarcastic barbs ever ready at stand-by, and Wahlberg's "regular-guy-who-happens-to-be-slightly-more-ripped-than-average" shtick will work as the perfect placeholder persona that has made him a bankable action star. Whether the film proves to be a financial success at the box office or not, I do feel extremely confident in saying that 2 Guns will be nowhere present at the Academy Awards. The only action flicks that end up at the Red Carpet are those heavy in special effects, a prerequisite for the Best Visual Effects and Sound categories, and 2 Guns promises to be the type of old-fashioned cops and robbers film that only receives Oscar nominations if it has something below the surface. Since 2 Guns will almost certainly to be 2 dimensional, forgoing the whole depth thing all together, I think we can discount this one fairly easily. Possible nominations: None