The Rundown (September 25/03)

I wanted to like The Rundown, I really did. The marketing guys behind the film did a fantastic job with the trailer, which made it look like a rousing buddy comedy the likes of which we haven't seen in years. Add to that the charismatic presence of The Rock, and you've got a surefire hit. . .except the movie isn't all that funny nor is it terribly exciting. And the one element that should have been effective - offbeat banter between the two leads - is often eschewed in favor of over-the-top action sequences.

The Rock (or Dwayne Johnson; take your pick) stars as Beck, a fierce bounty hunter with a flawless track record. He's offered one last job that'll allow him to finally open the restaurant he's been dreaming of. The assignment: head to Brazil and bring back the boss' son, Travis (Seann William Scott). Easier said than done, though, as Travis knows where a priceless artifact is hidden that a ruthless land baron named Hatcher (Christopher Walken) desperately wants to get his hands on. With the help of a plucky bartender (Rosario Dawson), Beck and Travis attempt to elude Hatcher and his men - often taking time out to bicker and fight.

For a while, it seems as though The Rundown's going to be a whole lot of fun - somewhere along the lines of Lethal Weapon (but not the serious original; the jokey sequels). Even when the movie sours, The Rock manages to keep us at least a little bit interested; though he's not the best actor around, his ample charm easily makes up for his lack of talent. And Scott further distances himself from Stifler, easily stepping into the shoes of this goofy but somehow believable character. Then there's Walken, playing yet another variation on his now-patented "crazy weirdo" role. But, as is always this case, Walken's presence is always welcome and his bizarre speech about the Tooth Fairy might just be worth the price of admission.

The Rundown marks Peter Berg's second directorial effort, after '98s phenomenally entertaining Very Bad Things. Berg infused that film with malicious glee, turning it into one of the most enjoyable dark comedies to emerge out of Hollywood in a good long while. But with The Rundown, presumably hampered by a PG-13 rating, Berg unleashes the Michael Bay within and turns each action sequence into an over-the-top spectacle. And because there are so many, this becomes a problem awfully fast. Finally, towards the end, there's a moment where Beck picks up two shotguns that injects some life into the movie, but it's short lived and the film quickly reverts back to fast cuts and implausible special effects. It really is a shame that Berg wasn't able to include some of the nastiness that made Very Bad Things such a fun flick; there's nothing in this film that sets him apart from the various other action directors working today.

But the biggest problem with The Rundown is the lack of chemistry between The Rock and Scott. The potential is certainly there, but the film never slows down long enough for the two actors to establish it. Really, the whole point of a buddy comedy is the banter between the two central characters; even Tango and Cash understood that point. Still, the actors ensure that the movie never becomes all-out boring and The Rock has this ability to elevate even mediocre material to something watchable. He's being called the next Schwarzenegger; let's hope his next movie is something along the lines of Commando or Total Recall.