Marky Mark’s found himself a new funky bunch.
When last seen engaging in criminal activities, Mark Wahlberg required the assistance of Charlize Theron, Mos Def, Jason Statham and Seth Green to execute The Italian Job.
Now Wahlberg‘s hooked up with Tyrese Gibson, André Benjamin and Garrett Hedlund to avenge their adoptive mother’s murder in Four Brothers. Yes, Dirk Diggler pulls a Charles Bronson in director John Singleton‘s urban overhaul of John Wayne‘s classic western, The Sons of Katie Elder.
Four Brothers never amounts to anything more than a series of bloody brawls and earsplitting gunfights. But this Motor City smackdown’s as down and dirty as it gets in this summer. With The Island sinking and Stealth imploding, Four Brothers may prove as tantalizing an alternative to the standard special effects-driven spectacles as Wedding Crashers. If that’s the case, Wahlberg could satiate his thirst for revenge with a modest hit a la Singleton‘s Shaft ($70.3 million) .
For this real-life reformed bad boy, being part of a gang usually pays off more than it does when he flies solo. Witness Boogie Nights, The Italian Job, Three Kings and The Perfect Storm. His only true disappointment as an ensemble player came last year with director David O. Russell‘s amusing but philosophically meandering I Heart Huckabees. Not that Wahlberg‘s to blame. I Heart Huckabees joined such other all-star art house offerings as Magnolia and Full Frontal that were simply too esoteric for mainstream consumption.
With the notable and obvious exception of Planet of the Apes, Wahlberg floundered as the center of attention in The Yards, The Truth About Charlie, The Corruptor and Rock Star.
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Mark Wahlberg’s Box Office Cash |
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Is it because audiences still think of Wahlberg as Marky Mark and Calvin Klein underwear model? Nah, Wahlberg buried his faux-thug rapper image once and for all with Boogie Nights. And while he still couldn’t outshine an apathetic Edward Norton in The Italian Job, Wahlberg can be counted on to turn in competent, workmanlike performances. But he certainly doesn’t possess the easy charm and undeniable charisma of a Cary Grant, as evidenced by the Charade remake The Truth About Charlie.
Really, it all comes down to his poor choices. Rock Star failed as a head-banging Boogie Nights. The Truth About Charlie lacked the wit and sophistication of Charade. And who’s bright idea was it to pair Wahlberg with Chow Yun-Fat in The Corruptor?
Wahlberg‘s unlucky streak could come to an end with next year’s Invincible (fingers crossed that title doesn’t jinx things). He portrays real-life bartender Vince Papale, who landed on the Philadelphia Eagles’ rooster as a rookie at the grand old age of 30. OK, so Wahlberg couldn’t convince us he was a rock star. What makes us think we’ll buy him as a wide receiver? Well, it makes no difference. Invincible is another in a long line of fact-based sports dramas from Disney that’s already resulted in Remember the Titans ($115.6 million), The Rookie ($75.6 million) and Miracle ($64.3 million). The bigger the underdog, the bigger the hit.
At least Invincible isn’t a remake. Finally, Wahlberg gives himself a reprieve from making as many remakes as humanly possible. Rehashing Hollywood’s past glories–Planet of the Apes and The Italian Job–has served Wahlberg well. Yes, precious few wanted to know The Truth About Charlie, but Four Brothers should end up being more than just a family affair.
Not that Wahlberg‘s done with remakes. He’s embroiled in The Departed, Martin Scorsese‘s Americanization of the Japanese cop-vs.-gangster thriller Infernal Affairs. Oh, and what a surprise! With Departed, Wahlberg‘s finds himself in yet another potential blockbuster, boasting a glitzy ensemble cast. There’s Jack Nicholson, Matt Damon, Alec Baldwin and Wahlberg‘s Basketball Diaries cohort, Leonardo DiCaprio.
And there’s talk of The Brazilian Job, with Wahlberg and his crew apparently intact for another heist. OK, so this isn’t a remake: Michael Caine‘s Italian Job never spawned a sequel. But like Ocean’s Twelve, this would be a sequel to a remake. If George Clooney can make crime pay, why shouldn’t Wahlberg?
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So Wahlberg, 34, tells Men’s Health Magazine he wants to call it quits at 40 so he can devote himself to his family. Sounds like a plan. And Wahlberg knows his retirement hinges on whether audiences put money in his pocket. If it’s all about padding the pension, then Wahlberg should stick to what works for him: remakes and group efforts. So he can just sit back and watch the money pour in from Four Brothers, The Departed and The Brazilian Job. Sure, there’s still time to try to stretch as an actor, as Wahlberg‘s tried with The Yards and I Heart Huckabees. As long as Wahlberg understands that he likely won’t add much to his retirement fund. | |
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