It does what it set out to do...It entertains

Rating: 7/10 (22 August 2010)

Going into this film, I had some rather low expectations, but was hoping to see just a violent shoot-'em-up with an all-star action film cast. I was actually pleasantly surprised as to how entertaining this film is.
First of all, the cast is great, even though as a rule I tend to stray away from casts that feature a lot of big names. The film was well cast, and acted pretty well, too. The only problem is, I think there was just not enough room for all of these names to have their time on screen. However, they all work well together; so, it sort of balances out.
Second, it certainly is not without action. There is plenty of violence and dismemberment to wet the beaks of the most action-hungry movie goers, but it is not totally over the top. It definitely is a film that, if they were still reviewing films together, Siskel and Ebert would criticize for being too noisy, but if you go into a film like this without even the slightest expectations that you are going to be bombarded with in your face noise and action, then you have some serious problems. The film also sort of brings up some current or recent affairs (Somali pirates was the one that stood out the most for me), and takes the "let's kick some ass" route with them, but at the same time it still has a moral code to it as well.
Finally, I just like going into a film like this one, considering the times we are in with all the gray matter and things not being cut and dry, and having all of that just pushed to the side: you have your good guys and you have your bad guys. Yes, this film has a touch of its own gray matter, but it's not overwhelming. The timing of this film's release has made this point a positive one, instead of a negative one.
A film as fun as this one was is not without its flaws.
First of all, the writing just left a lot to be desired, but the action and comedy in it more than made up for that. That being said, do not be surprised if you find yourself wincing now and then at some very cheesy lines.
Second, as I mentioned, this film is very crowded with big stars. In many cases, you like the idea of all of these big names in one film, but how can you have room for all of them?
Third, there was too much CG blood and violence. Computer effects are great, but it was utilized way too much, as if it was a crutch—especially for violence. To boot, you can clearly tell that it's CG as well. If there had been more makeup effects and down and dirty special effects used like in the old days for things like decapitations or someone catching fire, I would have been much more impressed. As it is, though, the CG effects in this film are kind of cheesy and can easily be spotted. A good CG effect is one that you at least have to do a double take to see that it is in fact a CG effect or, best case scenario, have to find out later on that it is a CG effect (case and point, the digital removal of Ralph Fiennes nose when he played Lord Voldemort in the Harry Potter films looks very much like a well-done make-up effect but is in fact a CG effect).
All in all, this film is good for when you just need a movie to entertain you. It's a great way for even one of the most critical moviegoers, like myself, to just sit back and enjoy a film for what it is as opposed to trying to find a deeper meaning. It's a guilty pleasure, and it is well- done in that respect. I applaud Sly for making this very entertaining film. But, just as a precaution, I wouldn't recommend this as a date movie, unless she's really into some good solid hardcore action films.