Criminal 2016

The mission is in the memories.

6.2 / 10   1652 vote(s)
R
Action Crime Science Fiction

CIA Agent Bill Pope is on a mission to track down a shadowy hacker named 'The Dutchman'. When he gets mysteriously killed, an experimental procedure transfers his memories into a dangerous ex-convict. When he wakes up Pope's memories, his mission is to eliminate The Dutchman before the hacker launches ICBMs and starts World War III.

Release Date 2016-04-07
Runtime 1h 53m
Directors Ariel Vromen, Dana Gonzales, Grant Armstrong, Fraser Taggart
Producers Jason Bloom, J.C. Spink, Chris Bender, Christa Campbell, Boaz Davidson, Mark Gill, Lati Grobman, Trevor Short, John Thompson, Ran Mor, Miguel Menéndez de Zubillaga, Avi Lerner, Avi Lerner, Christine Otal, Jake Weiner, Jason Potter, Lonnie Ramati, Samuel Hadida, Victor Hadida, Douglas Urbanski, Kevin King Templeton, Matthew O'Toole
Writers Douglas S. Cook, David Weisberg

A man with the two minds!

This is a very familiar theme, but a different format and gives a different scientific excuse to execute the story. It is kind of 'Face/off' and 'Self/less' meets the 'Hardcore Henry'. It has some decent stunt sequences, but most of the film was just running and chasing around. And then there's a youngster whose involvement was the centre of the narration.

It all begins when an American secret agent was killed before completing his mission in the London. The important data from his brain were transmitted to a prison serving convict and then after the surgery he goes loose. So the man hunt begins against the running out of the time where the original mission needs to be accomplished. How the rest of the story shapes up were a fast paced action-thriller.

Something I don't like in the todays films are the open ending keeping in mind a sequel. This was an average box office film, but they might make another film. Wonderful cast, though. There are too many big names and everybody did the brief roles, except Kevin Costner in the main character, a tough one. But I did not know it was his film till I watch. In the poster he looked like somebody else. Though he did well along with the others, particularly Gal Gadot who I saw recently as Wonder Woman and now as an ordinary wife. A swift pace, but the story was nothing, overly depended on the star value as well as the stunts and the technical quality. Overall film was okay kind, partially entertaining, because of the performances.

6/10

Reno

Another knock-off of well-known subjects.

Solid making, good cast, some action and brutality, big stakes; all the formula components are there. But the big drama fails to be emotionally engaging.

OK to watch with lowered expectations, waste of time if you expect more.

jw