Thriller set in the underground world of international smuggling, starring Mark Wahlberg (The Fighter), Kate Beckinsale (Underworld) and Giovanni Ribisi (Avatar).
In New Orleans, former smuggler Chris (Wahlberg) is forced back into the game after his brother-in-law, Andy (Caleb Landry Jones, X-Men: First Class), botches a drug deal for his ruthless boss, Briggs (Ribisi). In an attempt to repay Andy's debt, Chris assembles a crew and makes a run to Panama and back, hoping to return with millions in counterfeit bills. When things fall apart on route, Briggs seeks revenge by going after Chris' wife (Beckinsale). Finding himself deep inside the world he had left behind, Chris now has to go toe-to-toe with the psychotic Briggs to protect his family.
This action thriller is a remake of an 2008 Icelandic movie (Reykjavik-Rotterdam) and bizarrely, is directed by the star of the original film. Baltasar Kormákur, the director in question, does a respectable job of maintaining the tension throughout Contraband, which proves to be moderately entertaining.
Wahlberg's character Chris could easily be Mickey Ward from The Fighter five years down the track and shows just how much the actor is suited to playing blue collar characters. Like many a cinematic protagonist, Chris is a good man forced into a difficult situation but Wahlberg convinced me that his problems were tangible.
Despite the various pulpy elements, the film strives for a sense of realism and this is backed up by the fine collection of left-of-centre young Hollywood actors in supporting roles – Ben Foster; Lukas Haas and Gionvanni Ribisi (Avatar), who is great as an unhinged psycho. Kate Beckinsale, however, is terribly miscast as Wahlberg's wife.
We're at a point in modern cinema where centring a film around smuggling feels almost quaint but this one manages to cram in a furious armoured car heist; a Speed 2: Cruise Control-esque ship collision and even more shipping container-based action than the climax of The A-Team movie.
I did keep waiting for them to go to Smuggler's Cove, though. No such luck.
By Dominic Corry, Flicks.co.nz
A cracking thriller, this US remake of of the Icelandic movie 'Reykjavik-Rotterdam' (2008) resets the action in New Orleans and should please fans of Marky Mark Wahlberg who like to see him get all blue-collar-criminal-trying-to-go-straight. Wahlberg plays the ex-smuggler forced to smuggle again with the type of conviction he displayed in 'Four Brothers' and 'The Fighter' and it's great to see Kate Beckinsale play his wife sans heavy make-up and tight 'Underworld' PVC pants. 'Avatar's Giovanni Ribisi plays the convincingly psychotic bad guy and Ben Foster (of 'Pandorum, '3:10 To Yuma' 'Alpha Dog' but, for me, he'll always be Russell from TV's 'Six Feet Under') plays Wahlberg's best buddy with his usual relish. The superb supporting cast are ably joined by J.K. Simmons, Lukas Haas and Diego Luna in a well-shot movie, directed by Baltasar Kormakur, the actor who played the lead in the original Icelandic film. Yes, it's all a bit old hat, and the "twist" can be guessed from three fathoms, but it's all handled without pretention in a suitably gritty style that keeps the tension ratcheted up. Well worth a watch - as is the original 'Reykjavik-Rotterdam.'
This film could have been a cracker! The idea looked great and the trailer did a good job of dragging me along as soon as it was released. What a pity the film didn't quite deliver what could have been. The result is one of those films you might rent out from the video store when there is nothing else to watch.
extract from theaterofthecommonman.com Contraband does exactly what it says on the tin. It's a movie, it's rated 16 and it shows Marky Mark busting people up inside their heads. Billed as an 'Action Thriller', there was certainly enough action to keep the bonehead bogans occupying the cinema's back row, satisfied. The thrills however were less than forthcoming. Yet another example of big Hollywood's rabid appetite for eating its young, Contraband takes the successful 2008 Icelandic flick Reykjavik-Rotterdam and swallows it whole. The film that is spit out reeks of the hackneyed big studio money magnetism we have come to expect at this time of year. With awards season almost at a close, it's time to dive into the b-movie money makers Hollywood seems to save up for the proverbial rainy days.
Yup, its pretty good, lots of action, good music, good acting (mostly).. So kinda left a 'good' taste in my mouth, not sure what else to say. In parts seemed familar to 'Gone in 60sec', 'Next Three Days' and the bad (miss-understood-really-a-good-guy) main hero does what is right, even tho its wrong, but not that wrong... Anyway, I've seen much worse, and this is, well good I guess, in a Hollywood, suburban, kinda way... Genre : Action, drama, drug 2/5 : was just kinda good, not that much empathy for characters, build up or anything
This was fantastic and tense at the same time and was really exciting. It's nice to see Mark Whalberg in another action movie he hasn't done anything like that since The Itailan Job. Really fun 5 Stars
It’s pretty much exactly as good as it needs to be.
Contraband involves a lot of energy, but I'm getting tired of violent retreads of these heist elements.
Makes for a fun flick at first, until a nasty - and tonally inconsistent - misogynistic streak kills the joy.
While often grungy and far-fetched, does keep you watching.
An involving, atmospherically grungy mid-register thriller.
We've been told the NZ release date for this flick is Thursday, 23rd Feb 2012.
Release date: February 23rd 2012.
We haven't received times for this movie in this location yet. However these are updated as cinemas announce them, so check back soon. Hopefully the lovely cinemas in your location will choose to play it shortly. ~Ed.
