2 Guns Review

Rated R (Violence Throughout, Language and Brief Nudity)

Running Time: 1 Hour & 49 Minutes

Cast-

Denzel Washington-Robert 'Bobby' Trench

Mark Wahlberg-Michael 'Stig' Stigman

Paula Patton-Debbie

Bill Paxton-Earl

Edward James Olmos-Papi Greco

James Marsden-Quince

Robert John Burke-Jessup

Fred Ward-Admiral Tuwey

Greg Sproles-Chief Lucas

Patrick Fischler-Dr. Ken

Directed by Baltasar Kormákur

Denzel Washington and Mark Wahlberg star in the late-summer action comedy "2 Guns."

Note: Screened on Wednesday, July 10, 2013 at AMC Loews 34th Street 14.

This is it, folks. We've finally hit August, or what we affectionately call the 'Dog Days of Summer.' Most studios have already released their biggest films by this point but I wouldn't count August out of the fight just yet. While the next four weeks is generally a slower time at the box office, it's still possible for the month to pull in at least one or two more $100 million-sized hits…or a lot of flops. Looking to get a head start on the competition is "2 Guns" from Icelandic director Baltasar Kormákur. Based on the 2007 limited series of the same name from former Punisher writer Steven Grant and published by BOOM! Studios, the film stars Denzel Washington and Mark Wahlberg as rival undercover officers who are forced to work together after a botched attempt to infiltrate a drug cartel. Universal Pictures is clearly hoping their combined star power will make up for their recent comic book bomb "R.I.P.D." and having Washington (who's coming off from his Academy Award-nominated turn in Robert Zemeckis' "Flight") as one of the leads is definitely a major plus since he's one of Hollywood's most consistent box office earners. Wahlberg (who previously worked with Kormákur on 2012's "Contraband"), however, is having something of an off year with April's "Pain and Gain" topping out at a respectable $49.7 million while January's "Broken City" outright flopped with a paltry $19.7 million. Although "2 Guns" suffers from a formulaic and tonally inconsistent script as well as a needlessly convoluted plot, this late-summer action comedy manages to overcome its shortcomings thanks to the sheer charisma of its two leads.

Partners-in-crime Robert 'Bobby' Trench (Denzel Washington) and Michael 'Stig' Stigman (Mark Wahlberg) are looking to negotiate a major cocaine deal with Mexican drug cartel leader Papi Greco (Edward James Olmos) but neither of them knows that the other is actually an undercover agent employed by rival agencies. Trench works for the DEA while Stig is an off-the-books Naval Intelligence officer who's been listed as AWOL after he shot an MP. Unable to come to an agreement with the drug lord, Trench and Stig decide to rob a small-town bank known to house a part of Greco's fortune in Tres Cruces, New Mexico. Although the heist goes off without a hitch, their expected $3 million payday turns into a $43 million score. Driving out to the desert, the duo immediately turns on each other but Stig manages to pull his gun out first and grazes Trench in the shoulder. Spying Trench's badge in his hand, Stig is shocked to discover that his partner is with the DEA. Despite his orders, he does not kill him and simply drives off with the money to give to his commanding officer Quince (James Marsden). However, Stig is forced to go on the run when Quince orders his fellow soldiers to put him down for refusing to execute Trench. Meanwhile, a shadowy individual named Earl (Bill Paxton) comes looking for the stolen money and frames Trench for the murder of his boss Jessup (Robert John Burke). With the help of his fellow agent and sometime lover Debbie (Paula Patton), Trench learns of Stig's connection to the Navy and reluctantly teams up with him in order to defuse an already out-of-control situation.

Judging from its generic title and poster, "2 Guns" seems like it's more suited for a January or February release rather than a late-summer one. That being said, Universal has positioned the film at just the right time because at this point, many moviegoers will be looking for a change-of-pace from all the big-budget blockbusters that have dominated theaters for the past three months. Falling back on the tried-and-true formula of mismatched buddies being forced to work together, "2 Guns" opens with our two main characters scoping out a bank across the street. While Trench cases the joint by purchasing a safety deposit box, Stig heads over to the diner and like an old married couple, the two start bickering over the phone on what to order. Peppered throughout the film, these witty dialogue exchanges are perhaps too derivative of Tarantino but there's a crackling, fun energy to them that allows the story to remain partially engaging even as it grows increasingly ridiculous and nonsensical.

Written by Blake Masters, the script initially plays things close to the chest and makes absolutely no mention of Trench and Stig's true identities. As far as we're concerned, these two guys are just simple criminals looking to buy drugs. Only when they're pulled over by customs at the U.S.-Mexican border is Trench revealed to be an undercover DEA agent but it's all handled in a very matter-of-fact manner. He's trying to bring Papi Greco down while Stig is…well, I'm not sure because it's never made entirely clear why the Navy would need to steal drug money to fund their own operations. The murky plotting becomes increasingly problematic as the film progresses, with Trench and Stig eventually being chased by three factions (Papi Greco, Quince, and Earl) who want nothing more than to get their hands on that $43 million. As the twists begin to pile on top of one another, it gets harder to care about what happens. In addition, Kormákur's attempts to add meaning to the picture just come across as half-baked with its criticism of the U.S. as corrupt and full of shady backdoor dealing. The violence tries to lean toward the darkly comic tone that typifies the Coen Brothers' work but how is seeing someone gruesomely lose at Russian roulette supposed to be funny? "2 Guns" never really locks down a consistent tone; sometimes it's serious and sometimes it's not while the confused, convoluted story mistakes itself for being clever.

Action-wise, it's pretty low-key, which is actually refreshing given how almost every film released this summer has featured some sort of citywide destruction. There's a fun car chase between Trench and Stig where the two trade blows until they're literally lying on the ground in a bro-mantic embrace. Most of the explosions are left to the end as our dynamic duo take on everyone that's been chasing after them for the past ninety minutes. The old school, no-frills approach that Kormákur's uses for the set-pieces work to the film's advantage yet the biggest asset that "2 Guns" has is the presence of Denzel Washington and Mark Wahlberg. You see, this is one of those times where sub-par material can be elevated if the director gets the casting right. Washington's role as Trench isn't too far removed from his wheelhouse but he lends the character a cool swagger, easily switching to a more serious demeanor whenever the scene calls for it. Wahlberg's Stig is more of a wise guy who's barely able to contain his excitement at the prospect of teaming up with Trench. Their easy chemistry is playful and single-handedly saves what would've been a mediocre picture.

Playing the villains are James Marsden, Edward James Olmos, and Bill Paxton. While Marsden seems out of place with his All-American looks, the others deliver scenery-chewing performances, particularly Paxton with his character's over-the-top Southern accent and penchant for Russian 'roo-lette.' Olmos at one point even urinates on his own hands before whacking Trench and Stig, who are hanging upside down by their feet, with an axe handle. Getting the short shrift is Paula Patton, who plays Trench's on-and-off love interest. Unfortunately, there's no attempt to develop her character and her nude scene should've been left on the cutting room floor because it serves no purpose whatsoever.

Released on August 2, 2013, "2 Guns" has received mildly positive reviews with 59% on Rotten Tomatoes. Critics found it 'formulaic and often jarringly violent' but ultimately gave it a pass due to 'the interplay between its charismatic, well-matched stars.' This is one of the few films that have the best chance of grossing $100 million for the month of August and it should reach that amount without too much difficulty given the pedigree of its two leads. Universal is currently expecting a weekend total around $20 million but $30 to $35 million seems more likely. "2 Guns" isn't exactly a must-see but it remains a fun time-waster despite the film's scatterbrained story. You could certainly do a lot worse…like "The Smurfs 2"!

Final Rating: 3 out of 5

"You're my people and there's a code. You fight for the guy that's fighting next to you."