Details
Director: Ric Roman Waugh
Starring: Dwayne Johnson, Jon Bernthal, Susan Sarandon, Barry Pepper
Certificate: 12A
Runtime: 112 mins
Budget: $15,000,000 (estimated)
Review
So the lead character’s the 6 ft 4 inch giant known as The
Rock. Better prepare ourselves for another action packed cheesefest, right? Well
actually, no...
As soon as the name ‘Dwayne Johnson’ is heard along with ‘new
film’, nearly everyone gets an idea of what the movie is going to look like.
But with Snitch, this preconceived idea couldn’t be more wrong. Ok, it’s not a
movie about a lovable family dog that goes missing, but it’s certainly
refreshing.
Johnson stars as John Matthews, a father who goes undercover
for the DEA in order to free his son who was imprisoned after being set up in
drug deal.
If Snitch followed the same pattern as Johnson’s other
flicks, you would expect Matthews to be an expert in martial arts who sets out to
kill anyone who stands in his way. However Snitch is different in that it plays
on suspense and drama, and doesn’t soak the film in action.
Johnson’s portrayal of Matthews is solid. It’s not award-winning,
but it’s good to see him in a different role and showing us that he’s not just
a one trick pony. Matthews is a realistic family man in the sense that he is
not a superhuman brawler. He shows fear and concern, and doesn’t through a
punch throughout the whole film. His role is believable and engages the
audience.
Other cast members worthy of note include Barry Pepper (Flags of Our Fathers, Saving Private Ryan, and The Green Mile) as Agent Cooper and
John Bernthal (The Walking Dead) as Daniel
James. The Emmy Award winning Pepper puts in another great performance and
fails to disappoint yet again. John Bernthal stars in his first major
production since The Walking Dead,
and looks as though he’ll be sticking around. He plays a similar sketchy role
to TWD’s Shane, but does so with more finesse.
The overall plot is reasonable enough, yet at times it felt
rushed and too fast paced. Matthews gets
involved with the gangs at an unrealistic speed, and in no time he is working
with the top drug cartel. The ending also shows glimpses of Johnson’s usual
self as he fights off gangsters with a truck and a shotgun, but is nothing more
than what you would expect from the WWE star.
The film as a whole is fairly predictable, but with this
type of film it can only be expected. There are a few little surprises along
the way, and the writers have done well to plug little plot holes with subtle
explanations.
Verdict
Snitch is the perfect film for those lazy evenings when you
just want to slob on the couch and be entertained. If you’re looking for solid action then this
is not for you. But if you’re looking for an easy watch with likeable
characters and a good plot, then you might just have found your film.
Snitch offers cheap thrills without the cost of overworked action scenes, and
allows the audience to get involved with the characters. It’s nothing to get
excited about, but is it's not one to dismiss.
Please feel free to comment below and let me know what you think of Snitch!
