
The Marine Posted by CK-Auctions
3 of 8 people found this review helpful.
Posted by CK-Auctions
As part of his ongoing desire to rule the world, Vince McMahon and his WWE conglomerate have gotten into the competitive world of...film production. That's right; using the current stars of his wrestling regime, and matching them up with projects that fit their perceived public personality, this cinematic strategy has borne out two recent releases. The spring of 2006 saw the sloppy slasher hackneyed horror film See No Evil, featuring Glen "Kane" Jacobs. It was not a hit. Then during the annual awards love-in of the Fall and Winter, John Cena starred in the high octane thriller The Marine. A demented throwback to the mid-'80s style of action film, complete with loud explosions, lame dialogue, and laugh out loud humor (both unintentional and otherwise), it should have been a big box office winner. It wasn't. Perhaps on DVD, it will find the audience it deserves. For pure plotless pyrotechnics and loads of fiery fisticuffs, you can't beat this retro ridiculousness.
Sometimes, you just need to see sh*t blow up REAL GOOD! You want to watch bullets fly, cars carelessly chase each other, and experience the brain purging power of actors carefully choreographed in bone crunching and face smashing fisticuffs. As an artform, the cinema can be awfully snotty. It can ladle on the self-important arrogance like an Ivy League law professor. In the world of filmic physics, every holier than thou piece of independent drivel derived directly from some slacker's soul searching diary requires an equal and opposite bit of mindless entertainment fluff – and The Marine fits the bill quite nicely. Taking it's cues from the Commando school of shoot-em ups, and filled with enough giganormous fireballs to make flame-lovers foam with demented delight, this guaranteed guilty pleasure of a movie may seem like seriously stupid macho mediocrity. But within the current motion picture malaise, this high concept conundrum where narratives must be nuanced to appeal to the widest demographic possible, it's refreshing to see a story that sticks with the silent film facets of heroes and villains. All our bloated ex-Terminator Robert Patrick requires as heinous hood Rome is a twistable handle bar moustache and a couple of orphanage deeds to foreclose on, and this post-modern Snidely Whiplash would be an instant evil icon.
Yet perhaps the biggest question to be addressed here is whether or not John Cena, incredibly popular WWE champion and all around brawny beefcake, has a career in front of the camera. Is he a decent action hero, or should he stick to slamming other musclemen to the square circle matt? The answer, oddly enough, is yes. Cena does have a kind of Arnold Schwarzeneggar as supermodel slickness that renders his physicality perfect for this kind of film. Indeed, he makes a far more appealing man of action than some of the slighter, more sensitive types being tossed at the camera (not including the great Jason Statham). Granted, when actually trying to emote, Cena's real puppy dog personality comes shining through, goofy geniality replacing the stern, steroid-stoked glare that usually accompanies a stellar Smackdown appearance. But put him in a situation where balled up fists have to pummel personnel, where guns must blaze with projectile pumping efficiency, when Herculean determination is required to overcome a near impossible manmade mission, and Cena scores. Perhaps it's his overworked musculature, or permanent granite jawline.
Review ID: 10000000002918829

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