Review: You have two options when it comes to The Rundown. Option A) You can get into the tongue-in-cheek action flick or Option B) You can be a pin-head and not get it and wonder why this movie sucks (Hint: It's because you're a pinhead).

Now I am not saying this is the be-all end-all of action flicks but it is a fun, harmless time waster. I went in expecting to see The Rock be a lunkhead who hits people. I went in expecting Stifler to do some Stifler type crude-stuff. I went in expecting Rosario Dawson to be kind of hot...well one out of three isn't bad.

The movie starts out strong with a clever nod (if not handing over the action-franchise) from Schwarzenegger and then some over the top Monday Night Football graphics to let you know...you're just in the media side of reality. None of what is about to follow should be taken any more seriously than oh, say, a movie critics opinion. The funny thing about the inevitable Rock vs. Schwarzenegger comparison...The Rock is better. It isn't simply because I can understand what he is saying (admitedly that helps) but because he conveys thought and caring with more convincing acting. Yes, I used the word, acting...it's not Olivier acting...but it is enough to get by in an action flick.

Sean William Scott is there for the comedy but The Rock can more than handle himself in this field but when the two get to spar off one another some fun takes place but really, I think The Rock doesn't need the buddy flick at this point to build his film career.

Christopher Walken...Chris...Chris...I don't know what to say here. Are you now playing a parody of the creepy guy you once were or have you somehow become the most parodied man by comedians since Jack Nicholson that it seems you are indeed a cartoon character. You know what? I don't care, the man still does the most unique line readings I have ever heard and I hope he does a thousand more pictures. And some Shakespeare...I would love to hear Walken giving the 'To Be Or Not To Be' lines as he contemplates shooting say, Quentin Tarantino. Just a thought.

The biggest, most annoying drawback to this film is the forced comic attachment of Ewen Bremner (you may remember him as 'Spud' in Trainspotting. In that film, strung out on Heroin his thick accent was disarming, funny and disturbing...here as he cakes it on and plays a rather limited character it just grates and when the fur really starts to fly and they cut back to him for comic relief one wonders what the editor and director were thinking...stick to the core of the scene, don't jump away from the action! Although the duct tape on the wing of the airplane was a nice touch.

Basically, you can do a lot worse...you could sit through Underworld. Fun, goofy and I'll say it, I am interested to see what offering comes next fromthe man they call The Rock.

3.5 Stars out of 5.

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Copyright© Written By: Rob Paul
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