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This Review Reveals Minor Details About the Plot.

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Plot Overview

babyGun Creek City, Nevada policewoman Valerie “Val” Young (Alexis Louder) is an “artiste” with her new (“I got that last week”) Ruger Black­hawk. It's a .44 caliber revolver unsuited for modern police work, but she likes it and trains with it. Her father wouldn't give her a gun for her 21st birthday because girls were made for other things. In the 1940s her great-grand­father had been conscripted—he had no choice—by the Nazis in northern Africa, so she's black along with the rest of her family. Her father never liked any of her boy­friends—too American for him?—and one of them died shame­fully. Now she's married but doesn't have any children to talk about, because (“We are what we are, always”) she could never produce the Nazi ideal. She joined the Army Medical Corps, which was as close as a girl could get to action in the military. From there she's become a rookie cop at a podunk station on a “slow day” (night.) Declares the darling of this movie, “You don't under­stand how incredibly effing bored I am.”

cop writing ticketWhile dispersing a tussle at Indian Springs Casino she gets sucker-punched by a mystery man Theodore “Teddy” Murretto (Frank Grillo) who apologizes, raises his hands and asks to be arrested. She tasers him, gives him an additional jolt, and books him into the city jail (“You're under arrest.”) His troubles with the law are piddling compared to the woes brought on by some hit men descending on him there: the legendary, brutal Robert “Big Bad Bob” K. Viddick (Gerard Butler) aka “Side­show Bob,” psycho­path Anthony Jay Lamb (Toby Huss)—he pleasantly goes by Tony,—and station mole Officer Huber (Ryan O'Nan) who laments, “I used to be a better man.” Val is nervous but professional as the night unfolds.

Ideology

What had Teddy done to make some people royally p.o.'ed at him? Well, (Prov. 30:33) “Surely the churning of milk bringeth forth butter, and the wringing of the nose bringeth forth blood: so the forcing of wrath bringeth forth strife.” Slow but steady churning of liquid milk turns it into solid butter. Aggravate someone long enough, with whom you started on convivial terms, and his whole demeanor changes towards you. Val went through a laborious digital menu to change the pass code to the armored cell block she's now holed up in to keep out the mole. She won't tell him the new code. Slap a cell mate around, and it stings a little. Wring his nose, it bleeds. When Bob mangles the face of his annoying cell mate, it bleeds (“laceration to the head”) like the dickens. A business confederate can tolerate a little monkey business, but hit him where it hurts, and the stuff hits the fan.

money bagsTeddy was an arranger bringing together the high and mighty who shared a common interest. He practiced a “high end consultancy.” Of course he'd skimmed a little for him­self, here and there, who wouldn't? But when it grew to millions of dollars, some­thing had to be done.

secretary and bossThe state of Nevada is powered by the gaming industry (“That is the summit from which every­thing else flows.”) The Attorney General William “Bill” Fenton was a crusader who wouldn't go along with any shady dealing, though Teddy tried hard to talk him into it. So he got clipped. Wouldn't you know it, he'd taped all those conversations with Teddy, and now the FBI has a list of names they want to ask Teddy about. He's got multiple contracts out on him in what's called a “free-fire contract” that can't be bought off. Things are “weird” and about to get “weirder.”

Production Values

” (2021) was directed by Joe Carnahan. It was written by Kurt McLeod, Joe Carnahan and Mark Williams (story.) It stars Gerard Butler, Frank Grillo and Alexis Louder. Kudos to Miss Louder for a good performance. Toby Huss stole the show in memorable scenes as a villain to be reckoned with. It boasts a stellar cast ensemble.

right handMPAA rated it R for strong/bloody violence, and pervasive language. The opening scene evoked a Nazi salute in gun action. The closing scene bridged two divergent entities in song. Despite some superficial similarities to other movies, this one will keep its audience off balance. Good writing. It was filmed in Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA. It runs 1 hour 47 minutes.

Review Conclusion w/a Christian's Recommendation

This was a nail-biter par excellence. An uninhibited audience might feel compelled to stand up and shout warnings. The slaughter just goes on and on. Yet for all the action, one must pay attention to the dialogue to get into the head of the female lead. Here is one fine police action thriller.

Movie Ratings

Action factor: Edge of your seat action-packed. Suitability For Children: Not Suitable for Children of Any Age. Special effects: Well done special effects. Video Occasion: Fit For a Friday Evening. Suspense: Keeps you on the edge of your seat. Overall movie rating: Five stars out of five.