Flawed Casting, Flawed Script, Flawed Execution

Rating: 4/10 (31 December 2017)

It's actually difficult to tell where the fault lies with this one. Is it a case of Emily Blunt being completely mis-cast as a bad-ass, door-kicking FBI agent? Is it the script that sets up story lines and background and then ignores all the foundation it just established? Is it the direction that wants so badly to focus on the chases and shooting that he just gives up on coherence altogether? Whatever it is, the beginning and the rest of the movie are completely disconnected.
We start out with Emily Blunt as a supposedly bad-ass FBI agent who's been"kicking in doors" being asked to join a mysterious task force with no explanation and no reason for choosing her in particular. Fact is, she's just not convincing in the role. She seems way to fragile to support her back story.
If they were looking for someone with her talents and skills, they never use any of them. If they were just looking for a patsy to take the fall, why pick a great agent instead of some dead wood from a back office? It makes no sense and just goes downhill from there.
Our tough, professional heroine instantly turns into a wet dishrag and complete victim with no spine. She gets ignored, disrespected, beaten, shot and takes it all with a blank expression or simpering tears, but never does she do anything meaningful to change her situation.
The rest of the cliched drug cartel story is the same stuff you see on any of the weekly cop shows, nothing new is added except a few extra on screen murders and some extra blood.
Very glad I didn't pay to see this one, I only wasted 2 hours instead of a lot of cash.