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THE LOSERS Sylvain White Starring Jeffrey Dean Morgan Zoe Saldana Chris Evans Idris Elba Jason Patric Due to the nature of this extremely mediocre release, there is very little to say about it. Any point that can be argued with certainty can also be counter-argued with equal vigour. So little is there to say about this film that my review is somewhat lacking. So, in advance, my apologies. Ultimately, The Losers is nothing special; which is a damn shame because the graphic novel was bloody brilliant. Loosely based on the comic's first story arc, Ante Up, this adaptation depicts the betrayal of a military black ops group and their subsequent quest for revenge - or at least, that's what it should have been. Instead, we're treated to some hammy nonsense about a helicopter full of children blowing up and internal bickering over returning to a normal life, whilst trying to track down the individual (named Max [Patric]) responsible for setting them up. Throw in a few ridiculous notes about an imploding bomb and a handful of noisy shootouts and what you're left with is a ninety-odd minute rampage of sheer nothingness. This film's biggest crime is neither down to poor direction or miscasting. If anything, the two things that appear to work best are the selected actors and the overall camerawork. Editing, score, story, pace, locations, effects, on the other hand, are an entirely different matter. The thing that left me scratching my head was the simply inexplicable reasoning behind script alterations. The original graphic novel is unabashedly silly with its love of all things 'badass' and seems to almost relish in its place as an action-driven blam fest. Curiously, the film takes a similar stance but removes the best moments, injects unnecessary developments and completely rearranges what's left of the structure. Furthermore, in an attempt to attract 'the kids' and the millions of disposable dollars/pounds they supposedly have (if studio heads and marketing shills are to be believed) all the violence, nudity, swearing and general unpleasantness has been severely sterilised. I'm not saying a film needs to depict images that would sicken Caligula but cutting the adult nature out of an action film is just going to put older audiences (the ones with the actual money) off. Among the wreckage of the adaptation are a handful of diamond moments; scenes and dialogue lifted directly from the comic work rather well and prompted a chorus of laughs throughout the audience but the remainder consists of new material that can only be deemed unnecessary. It's not as if this film is a travesty or disgrace (like plenty of other films I've endured this month) it's simply forgettable. Neither pleasant nor unpleasant, it feels like an evening out with friends but the people whose company you really enjoy have cancelled. You're still enjoying a night out but all the while you're looking for an excuse to leave. Release Date: 28th May 2010 The Scene To Look Out For: It's difficult to single out any particular scene. It's like asking me my favourite level on a video game I played once seven years ago. I can't recall much and of that, there's nothing that strikes me as good. As I stated with the start of the review, any scene that looked like it was going to be amusing or in any way impressive was quickly undercut by something stupid or ridiculous setups were saved by a cheeky last minute one-liner. I suppose the nods to the comic, in both the opening and closing credits were pleasant but other than that, there's very little to say. Notable Characters: Two characters in particular stand out in this film. The first is Jason Patric as the eccentric villain, Max. Supposedly in control of every major government organisation and military operation, he was portrayed as an unhinged puppet master. Unfortunately, the film's treatment (or possibly Patric's performance) of the same character has produced something camp, annoying and unthreatening. On the other end of the scale, Chris Evans plays the wise-cracking Jensen to a tee, claiming every scene his own. Highlighted Quote: "That's right bitches, I got a crossbow" In A Few Words: "A very nothingy review for a very nothingy film - the epitome of mediocre" Total Score: 
5/10Matthew Stogdon |
