I’m going to give ‘American Assassin’ the biggest insult I can give when it comes to movies: It’s ‘generic’. That being said, that doesn’t mean I didn’t enjoy it for what it was; a popcorn action flick that one should not pay more than matinee pricing to see. The only reason I really went to see it is because there was nothing else out this weekend I wanted to see and I am am tempted to see any movie Michael Keaton is in. I don’t even review every movie I see as I have to feel I have an opinion to share, so I’m surprising myself by reviewing this film as I feel I will have forgotten all about this film in a few weeks (if not a few days). I suppose not every thing has to be a nutritional meal. Sometimes, you just crave junk food and that’s exactly what this McAction flick delivers.
The story centers around the straight up revenge theme. Mitch Rapp [cool action name] (Dylan O’Brien beefed up from the ‘Maze Runner’ series) loses his fiancé in a deadly terrorism attack in Ibiza, Spain. He focuses his entire life in exacting revenge on the Islamic baddies. Incredibly, he learns computer encryption, martial arts, and Arabic over the course of 18 months (we didn’t even get a montage out of that). He poses as an online terrorist sympathizer (unknowingly triggering the attention of the CIA) and travels to North Africa seeking the chance to murder the terrorist cell he holds responsible. The CIA rescues him after he is captured because as maverick counter-intelligence chief Irene Kennedy recognizes his talent as ‘off-the-charts’ (the first of many clichés). Chief Kennedy takes Mitch to an anti-terrorist training camp in the woods led by master spy Stan Hurley (played by whom I really came to this movie for: Michael Keaton). Stan doesn’t like Mitch as he views him as a ‘maverick’ (how many times will I be using that term in this film), which he considers dangerous. Keaton is still a delight to watch despite his generic ‘gruff-drill-instructor-with-a -heart’ character. Now the film brings out the montage and we see the outsider Mitch excel at every challenge thrown as he is able to think outside-the-box. The gruff Stan gives reluctant admiration along with generic tidbits of spy advice such as: “Don’t make it personal"
A rogue recruit from Stan’s past code-named ‘Ghost’ (a delightfully generic Taylor Kitsch) surfaces in some type of nuclear/terrorist/mercenary conspiracy that causes Chief Kennedy to activate Stan’s trainees before they are ready. They travel to Turkey (where amazingly Mitch is also fluent in Turkish) and Mitch’s maverick ways help resolve every situation that goes bad.
I could continue to describe this film and the direction it goes, but you’ve seen this film a hundred times (usually in the 80’s with Steven Segal or Jean-Claude Van Damme), but if you are in the mood for some well choreographed action scenes and Michael Keaton being….well, Michael Keaton, then you could do worse. Oh yeah, I almost forgot there is a hot chick inserted into the story that eventually falls for Mitch (Spoiler alert? Not really). I can spend all day tearing this film down, but if i’m honest, I have to confess that I enjoyed it for what it was. Go in with low expectations and you might not feel ripped off spending your money on the ticket (as long as it was matinee).
I give this film * 1/2 stars
