Me Mini Movie Reviews: The Marine

So this was a fun movie. As simple a plot as you can get, but things “shore’ do blow up real good.” I thought from the trailers this was going to suck, but it wasn’t bad as long as you realize what you’re going to get. This is a throwback to ‘80s action flicks, right down to the wooden acting. John Cena, a WWE wrestler (and current champ, I think), plays The Marine, who gets discharged, heads home, gets talked into a trip with his wife, she gets kidnapped, and he goes all marine on the bad guys. Cars get chased, people get into fist fights, lots of rounds of ammo are fired and hit nothing important, and things blow up really, really good. Oh yeah, really good explosions. John Cena actually does pretty well as the stoic marine – he’s wooden as an oak tree, but that works in the role. You can easily buy him as an action movie guy, and he kicks some ass throughout the flick. Plus, he did a lot of the stunts himself, which always helps in an action flick. Kelly Carlson does the requisite babe in distress role well enough, however it’s Robert Patrick, clearly slumming it and having fun chewing scenery, that’s fun to watch. He has some good lines, but the Terminator reference reaction is the best moment. (By the way, his T-1000 would have kicked Cena’s butt.) The rest of the bad guys are about the dumbest collected gang ever, though they do manage the odd good line. There were some CGI spots that were doubtful, but for the most part is was a slam bang dumb action movie. It doesn’t rate anywhere close to the classics (Sly’s Cobra, Arnie’s Commando, Chuck’s Delta Force, Russell and Sly in Tango & Cash, etc.), but if you’re a fan of those great 80s/early 90s action movies and wish they’d make some like that again, its worth the rental. Verdict: I’ll recommend the rental, for 80’s action flick fans.