I Am Wrath was just barely competent to watch. The opening mugging/murder scene had some of the worst continuity mistakes I've seen in a Hollywood blockbuster. While the cast was competent, the casting was stereotypical black/Latino bad guys and white "highly trained" good guys. I cringed at some of the lines. I imagine the script must have had many hands on it and many rewrites. John Travolta puts in an average performance, but the lightweight script and lackluster directing leave him out on a limb with this performance. And we are supposed to believe that Travolta at 62 years of age is a ball-busting tough guy? Originally Nick Cage was cast to play the lead, perhaps he's become wise enough to sniff out a stinker. At least his age would not have been so damning as it is for Travolta.
Speaking of tough guys, Christopher Meloni turned in an affable performance providing support and a touch of one-liner comedy. Alas it's difficult to believe he gets whacked in the shins by a baseball bat and the bat loses. In real life the bat would not break and he wouldn't have been able to walk for at least a week. His performance was the only bright spot in a movie that never hinted at being a buddy action-comedy but becomes one anyway. John Wick this movie is not.
The movie's biggest sin was its predictability. You knew right from the beginning why the wife was killed, who ordered the hit, and why the corrupt cops could do nothing about it. Then every step of the way you knew what Travolta's character was going to do, and never did we think that he wouldn't get away with it right up to the unsatisfying ending (gee, no surprises when the bullet proof vest is revealed early in the film).
I Am Wrath had no mystery, no discovery, and quite often no explanation. This would be exhibit 1A as to how Hollywood ruins movies.
Speaking of tough guys, Christopher Meloni turned in an affable performance providing support and a touch of one-liner comedy. Alas it's difficult to believe he gets whacked in the shins by a baseball bat and the bat loses. In real life the bat would not break and he wouldn't have been able to walk for at least a week. His performance was the only bright spot in a movie that never hinted at being a buddy action-comedy but becomes one anyway. John Wick this movie is not.
The movie's biggest sin was its predictability. You knew right from the beginning why the wife was killed, who ordered the hit, and why the corrupt cops could do nothing about it. Then every step of the way you knew what Travolta's character was going to do, and never did we think that he wouldn't get away with it right up to the unsatisfying ending (gee, no surprises when the bullet proof vest is revealed early in the film).
I Am Wrath had no mystery, no discovery, and quite often no explanation. This would be exhibit 1A as to how Hollywood ruins movies.