Film Review – 2 Guns
Director: Baltasar Kormakur
Screenplay: Blake Masters
Cast: Denzel Washington, Mark Wahlberg, Paula Patton, Edward James Olmos
Genre: Action Comedy
Rating: ****
Venue: Ster Kinekor Maerua Mall Cine 3
Rating Score
* – Poor
** – Average
*** – Good
**** – Very Good
***** – Excellent
When I saw the trailer for 2 Guns I thought to myself, oh no not another cop movie, there are enough movies in that genre already and we don’t need another one. However after seeing the film and watching two of the best actors in Hollywood being paired together, 2 Guns is by far one of the best films released in 2013. The movie stars Denzel Washington as Robert ‘Bobby’ Trench and Mark Wahlberg as Michael ‘Stig’ Stigman who are planning to rob a bank. However they are keeping big secrets from each other which is the gist of the whole movie. None of them knows that the other is an undercover cop. Talk about an epic twist to a cop movie. Stig and Bobby are trying to achieve the same goal which is to to bring down Papi Greco (Edward James Olmos), who is a drug kingpin. They decide to rob a bank in which Greco has some money stashed away. Instead of getting Greco’s money, Stig and Bobby rob the CIA of US$43 million. What follows is a lot of punchy and funny one liners and of course, a lot of gun fights hence the film’s name. Wahlberg and Washington make it all come alive and prove to everyone again that they are great actors. It is an action movie with a lot of gun fire and foul language but also a lot of laughter. This is pretty impressive because too much seriousness from the actors would have killed the story line. These two actors crank up the charisma all the way throughout the movie. You can not help but enjoy their presence on screen. Washington and Wahlberg are great together. For a movie with a lot of shooting and one- liners, this is the type of film that you just become immersed in. It is far from superficial or shallow. The right pairing of actors can make or break a movie. Some fail to be on the same page and their characters simply do not keep the audience glued to their screen or wanting more. These two actors play off each other’s characters so well making Washington and Wahlberg one of the best pairings in the current offering of law enforcement movies. Having watched Walhberg in a lot of action-packed as well as softer movies I think it is safe to say the man can take on any role. Washington on the other hand is simply a maestro. You always get that ‘Denzel’ element every time you watch him, serious yet witty which always works for him. 2 Guns is well shot and exhilarating. It is a movie for everyone above the age of eighteen to enjoy. So if you are sitting at home wondering how you are going to get out of the bored slump, think about watching a fun movie with two actors that everyone loves, a movie with non-stop action mixed with just the right amount of comedy to save you. 2 Guns is this kind of movie. It is pure entertainment. You’ll laugh, you’ll be on the edge of your seat and you’ll even find yourself flinching or cringing a little at times. I enjoyed it thoroughly and I must admit a sequel to the movie would be a good bet. This is a great choice if you are looking for something fun to do this weekend, because in my mind, you can never go wrong with fun time at the movies.
