It's an action film with more guns and explosions than named characters, but it is also a smart film and the violence is balanced with humour, cameraderie, politics and a sweet father-daughter story.
There are several strands that make up the story, and these are each revealed in a clever way; such that there is suspense and satisfying pay-offs, and the strands come together in a natural way. I would not fault the story at all. The strongest feature of this film, though, is that the relationships between characters are real and interesting. Channing Tatum has some wonderful connections with his scene partners, but the one that makes the film is his bond with Jamie Foxx. The two tussle for power, and find their common ground and watch each others' backs and it is a beautiful thing. They are funny too. It was just a shame they could not find an excuse to rap together while dodging bullets and killing bad guys. Oh yeah, the death count is pretty high. That is where I tend to struggle with such action-heavy films. Why all the death? Why shoot to kill? Isn't wounding sometimes enough? Why even use guns? But the thing I liked about this film is that the gunfire actually felt justified. And the issue of non-violent peace negotiation is at the heart of the story.
So, this film just works. The overall tone is fantastic and cheesy, but accept that and there is a lot to enjoy.
See this film to witness a believable dynamic duo. Who needs superpowers or fancy gadgets when one can simply Channing all over one's Tatum.
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