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Contraband (2012)

Director: Baltasar Kormákur

Time Out rating

Average user rating

5 reviews

Movie review

From Time Out London

Icelandic director Baltasar Kormákur’s remake of his own moody heist flick, ‘Reykjavik-Rotterdam’, had a rough ride from US critics earlier this year, but it was a solid hit with audiences. Neither is surprising: ‘Contraband’ is a muscular, old- fashioned honour-among-thieves fairy tale that takes no risks but contains enough plot twists and blue-collar wish fulfilment to guarantee a fun night out.

In his latest shot at working-class-hero status, Mark Wahlberg plays Chris, a smuggler-turned-family man forced to get back in the game when his wayward brother-in-law gets in hock to a gang of dealers led by drawling wigga psychopath Briggs (Giovanni Ribisi, apparently channelling the spirit of George Kennedy). Leaving best pal Sebastian (Ben Foster) in charge of wife Kate (Kate Beckinsale) and their two small kids, Chris hitches a ride on a cargo ship bound for Panama, accompanied by a motley band of drug-runners.

Though admittedly drowning in Pabst-swilling Springsteen chic and weary one-last-job cliches, ‘Contraband’ is a stylishly directed thriller that benefits from a knotty, unpredictable script and an indisputably great cast. While frontman Wahlberg is suitably terse and brooding as the put-upon hero, Foster, Diego Luna, JK Simmons and especially Ribisi add much-needed spice with a ragged parade of scenery-chewing, scene-stealing supporting turns.

The result is unlikely to linger long in the memory, but it’s enormous fun while it lasts, particularly the central Panama sequences, all vibrant colour and thundering pistol fire. The final act, too, is a real crowd-pleaser, wrapping up a tangle of storylines in unfashionably upbeat, feelgood fashion. So perhaps ‘Contraband’ is crime-by-numbers – but it’s also honest, unpretentious and highly entertaining.

Author: Tom Huddleston

Time Out London Issue 2169: March 16-22, 2012

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User reviews of this film

Marsellus said...

Posted on Apr 18 2012 11:10 I started out quite liking this film as it seemed a bit different to the usual 'one last job' films that there are so many of. However, the film quickly descends into a bit of a bore. There is nowhere near as much action as the trailer would have you believe. Basically, Marky Mark takes a boat to Panama, stays for an hour and is involved in a completely irrelevant shootout (added purely to give the film a bit of action) then gets the boat back home with some swag. There's very little tension or drama. Other crime caper films like The Italian Job or Ocean's 11 put this film to shame.

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MovieFan said...

Posted on Apr 09 2012 01:33 The worst movie I have ever paid to see...wanted to leave the cinema after 30 mins. Silly plot, hilariously bad dialogue and terrible acting; this is to cinema what 'Painting by Numbers' is to Art. Do something more useful with your time, don't waste it on this movie.

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critique said...

Posted on Mar 29 2012 22:08 Passable action thriller. Ben Foster, who i usually like, is disappointing.

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scrumpyjack said...

Posted on Mar 22 2012 18:23 Simply, file with THE TOWN/SAFE HOUSE. More lads night in rather than special trip out. 6+/10

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Thomas Noctor said...

Posted on Mar 22 2012 12:32 Should be called Americas Dumbest Criminals. First off, Mark can clearly out muscle the 'Gang Leader' He is rushing to pay back, yet He travels to deal with a crazier, tougher one? The main Villian in this is completly dumb, acting is terrible. I have to blame the director, awful. However I enjoyed small parts but overall a poorly written movie

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