The Magnificent Seven

Aside from diversity, re-remake adds nothing and the whole is less than the sum of its parts. Irrelevant anecdotes can’t magnify seven enough to carry overabundance of action in a film that’s literally stunted. The peculiar performances peak well before Hawke and Washington give the town a Fuqed up Training.

Flight

Washington soars as he crashes and crashes as he soars in alarmingly and ironically sobering performance.  Passage of lengthy airtime is assisted by countless character actors in mini-bar sized and equally potent parts.  Smooth landing not quite managed following turbulent comedic transition into alcoholism sermon.  Pro-cocaine and anti-left wing (literally).

Unstoppable

Very Difficult to Stop.  Washington and Pine’s chemistry is as solid as it is clichéd.  Tense action thriller marred by overuse of epileptic and practically impossible news cameras and ‘Why didn’t you do that in the first place?’ ending.  Scott, Denzel, and a train.  Déjà vu 123.  RIP Tony Scott.

Book of Eli

Sheriff Gordon rallies EVERYONE to hunt down Kimbo Slice in I Am The Road Warrior. Comic book perfectly stylistically rendered for screen. Washington meets George and Martha before massive shootout and strange boat scene straight from Children of Inside Men. Then, like Clockwork the eternal king of dystopian Doomsdays appears.

The Taking of Pelham 123 (2009)

Baby-Scott eases up on the epilepsy as Travolta Swordfishes a subway car. Well executed high-concept film compensates for action free segments with high doses of tension. Generally good, but hurt by annoying co-worker, excessive accounting lingo, bad driving from the NYPD designed to generate action, and sentimental 1980s closing freeze-frame.