Gunner Review – Excellent Action Scenes, Unpredictable, Entertaining
- Details
- Category: UK A&E, Lifestyle, Culture
- Published on Tuesday, 10 December 2024 10:58
- Written by Janet Walker
Gunner, from Vertigo Releasing, brings to the screen the ultimate battle as a drug cartel kidnaps the children of a decorated ex-special forces hero, and decides to ransom them for a lost shipment seized by the DEA.
The film begins with Lee Gunner, played by Luke Hemsworth, working as a bouncer in the bar in his hometown, while his picture in full dress and decorated is on the screen, while the voice over explains he has been awarded the Medal of Honor.
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His once old hangout, on the edge of a deep overgrown forest, just isn't what it once was, as the influx of gang bangers who want a chance at the hero, ex-special forces operative. Before the night is over, the gang decides as they outnumber him and have drank enough shots they should take him on. The last shot of courage sets them off and before it was over, some were dead, injured and running.
During this time, we meet Kendrick Ryker, played by Morgan Freeman, the patriarch of a crime family sitting in prison, and his son, Dobbs Ryker, played by Mykel Shannon Jenkins, who informs him that everything is a go, and the shipments are scheduled. While Dobbs is trying to assure his father that, while you're here, I've got this, Kendrick is less convinced of his son's ability to run the organization. However, as it is, all he can do from this side of the wall is hope and enlist outside help to keep his family's business active.
Gunner, who has not seen his kids in a while, decides he wants to take them camping. The next morning, sends Luke, played by Grant Feely, and Uncle John, played by Barry Jay Minoff, to the rendezvous point some four hours away. He found out that Travis, played by Connor DeWolfe, spent the night at his girlfriend's house, and after waking the parents, who were shocked that it would be a problem for two 16-year-olds to be sleeping together, and drinking, under their roof, Gunner decides to explain nicely.
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As he hauls Travis out of the house, he tries to understand why Travis is so angry. And as they are now flying to the rendezvous point, they have some time, and we understand that Gunner never returned home when their older brother was dying. We also understand the family has suffered due to their father's loyalty to duty. The breech is going to take more than one weekend of camping to repair.
As Travis is trying to figure out how they will land, Gunner hooks him up for a tandem skydiving jump and it becomes obvious that some of the day's chill had melted away. They meet up with Uncle John and Luke, and the four jump on the ATV's waiting and soon they are having a blast. They camp for the night. The next day as the are driving deeper into the forest, the notice the stream had dried up, and there is a stench in the air.
Gunner and Uncle John are investigating the smell when they stumble on a meth lab. They realize a little too late, and try to escape, Uncle John trips the bomb wire and dies. Gunner runs to his kids, tells them what to do and they take off looking for help.
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What follows is an extreme fight scene that was different than the usual. The superior choreography elevated the sequences and presented highly skilled, advanced marital arts, technique, more so than the simple action sequences that can be found in most films.
Even with the knowledge that Gunner is an ex-special force, the DEA has had the lab under surveillance, and in all the smoke, determining who was the good guy and who was the bad guy was impossible. Gunner is arrested and his children are now being held captive.
Gunner is left with only one option, escape from federal lock-up, and break into the prison where Kendrick Ryker is being held, break him out, escape, and trade him for his children.
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This sets up the explosive, unpredictable, ending. Gunner is a better than average action film, although the premise is clear from the beginning. We believe we can plot out the film, and explain, even before it happens the action based on the premise that the hero never dies. That may be the only clear conclusion.
Gunner is filled with plot twists and turns, above average fight scenes, and well-choreographed martial art sequences. For the action addict, Gunner will not disappoint, and the ending is very surprising, unexpected, and fresh. While there are a few glitches, overall, Gunner delivers big entertainment. The ensemble of talent, including Academy Award winner Morgan Freeman, embody their roles with authenticity.
Gunner is available to rent on multiple platforms. See it.
Country: UK.
Language: English.
Runtime: 119 minutes.
Digital Release dates: TVOD/EST December 9, 2024.
Platforms: Apple TV, Amazon, Skystore, Rakuten, Virgin Media, YouTube, Microsoft.
Distributed By: Vertigo Releasing.
Directed By: Dimitri Logothetis.
Producer: Dimitri Logothetis, Joel Shapiro.
Writers: Gary Scott Thompson, Dimitri Logothetis.
Cast: Luke Hemsworth, Morgan Freeman, Mykel Shannon Jenkins, Yulia Klass, Grant Feely, Connor DeWolfe.
Janet Walker is the publisher, founder, and sole owner of Haute-Lifestyle.com. A graduate of New York University, she has been covering international news through the Beltway Insider, a weekly review of the nation's top stories, for more than a decade. A general beat writer/reporter and entertainment/film critic, she is also an accomplished news/investigative news/crime reporter and submitted for Pulitzer Prize consideration "Cops Conspire to Deep Six Sex Assaults" in the Breaking News Category and was persuaded to withdraw the submission. Ms. Walker has completed five screenplays, "The Six Sides of Truth," "The Assassins of Fifth Avenue," "The Wednesday Killer," "The Manhattan Project," and the sci-fi thriller "Project 13: The Last Day." She is a member of the Los Angeles Press Club, the National Writers Union, and the International Federation of Journalists.
