Tries too hard

Rating: 6/10 (25 August 2012)

This is a film that has some style and isn't all bad by any means, but in the end it comes out looking like a mish mash of several Cohen Brothers films and The Usual Suspects. The cast do 'ok' but really everything about the film falls just short of being anywhere near that league.
The script is lively in places, but tedious and too 'clever' in others, and much the same could be said for the storyline. The direction and sets are sometimes impressive, but somehow fail to create any really convincing atmosphere or suspense.
I knew nothing about this film before watching it, but very early on its shortcomings were pretty clear. The 'tying up' of all the loose ends takes rather a long time, and doesn't leave enough mystery (and anyway by then none of it comes as any surprise).
Better than your average dumb shoot'em up, but in the end it's a pale imitation of much better films.
(Oh, and the plot is full of holes, but i'll be generous and say that most films of this type rely on a decent amount of disbelief suspension!)