Movie Review

12 Rounds (PG-13)

Pete Hammond

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Hollywood.com Says
Preposterous, but undeniably entertaining, action flick is powered on enough pure adrenaline to forgive the gaping plot holes. Almost.

WHAT IT'S ABOUT?

In the latest action drama from the World Wrestling Entertainment, WWE wrestler John Cena (The Marine) is back this time as New Orleans police detective Danny Fisher, who captures a brilliant criminal mastermind and foils an attempted heist in which the crook's girlfriend is accidentally killed by a passing van. One year later, the guy breaks out of prison intent on getting revenge by kidnapping Fisher's fiancée and leading him on a lethal game of cat and mouse in which he must complete 12 rounds of near impossible tasks or risk the life of his bride-to-be.

WHO'S IN IT?

Cena is clearly out to become the next Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson and, physically, he certainly fills the bill of an action hero. As a film star though, he's capable but just not terribly compelling. Fortunately, 12 Rounds isn't exactly the kind of movie that requires a lot of acting ability. Cena manages to deliver groaner lines like, "I'm gonna find you, hunt you down and kill you," with ease, and he looks good racing through the streets in cop cars and hijacked fire engines. If he doesn't make it in movies, he'd be a great contestant on The Amazing Race. As the key villain, Irish actor Aidan Gillen is appropriately slimy and evil but mainly one-dimensional. Steve Harris is tough and determined as the FBI agent with a personal stake in the case while Ashley Scott as the fiancée and Brian White as Cena's partner are fine in their limited screen time.

WHAT'S GOOD?

Director Renny Harlin who cut his teeth on movies like Die Hard 2 and Cliffhanger knows his way around the action genre and has crafted one heart-racing sequence after another. Technically, this is a terrific looking genre film that ought to please hardcore action fans who are willing to check their brain at the box office (and we know who you are!).

WHAT'S BAD?

Apparently, one of the many guns in the film was used to shoot the script full of holes. Because the key action scenes — while exciting to watch — look like they were written by a committee and have no anchor in reality. A key plot point involving the prison break of the main villain also defies credibility and fails to pass the smell test.

FAVORITE SCENE:

Lots of great action throughout, but the sheer audacity of the grand helicopter finale is not to be believed — or missed.

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