Review : 12 Rounds

12 Rounds : John Cera and Aiden Gillan in a Renny Harlin film - Detective Danny Fisher discovers his girlfriend has been kidnapped by a ex-con tied to Fisher's past, and he'll have to successfully complete 12 challenges in order to secure her safe release.

This film just pumps up the adrenaline, it's exciting, it has that thrill factor and the suspense to keep the interest of the viewer entertained, there isn't so much complexity to the story which I like it's kept basic and simple and it's very coherent to whoever watches it.

If you like big explosions and high tense action sequences then 12 Rounds is the film for you. I like how the film contains a continuos beat to it, as soon as the action starts you've got the proper peril and you understand 'okay he's got to do 12 challenges to save his girlfriend' - fine. Simple enough to understand, and it keeps you hooked, it keeps you going and the anticipation is there because you beg the question of what's coming up next.

And Renny Harlin 'The Director of Die Hard 2" is really good at making the straight forward turned up to 11 and really going for it. I think of him as a satisfactory director who is really good at what he does and making the audience engage with the action from the word 'GO' and fulfilling that to the extent of withholding from keeping the anticipation from the audience, its very forward and on going so there's no holding back from the action once it's starts. It's very coherent and entertaining to watch, as well as that you've got good pacy soundtrack to back that up as well as strong visual effects.

In terms of quality and originality the plot of this is basically a recycling of "Die Hard With a Vengance" I'm not shy to admit that, but in which a maniacal criminal gives a cop a series of orders that feel like part of a crazy static game but actually have a more specific intent than just sowing chaos and despair for the sake of it, anyone can watch a film which has lots of mindless explosions and lots of fighting and death, just watch the opening scene of Expendables 2 and you'll catch my drift, to actually give this storyline and plot an identity of being much more than what is is a constructive contributing factor which benefits action films in general no just this.

John Cena's dedicated tough-guy cop is adequate as an actor, Cena's a heck of a wrestler and Aiden Gillen brings a fevered energy to his role as the master manipulator bad guy, an arms dealer who has more in common with comic-book geniuses like The Joker than real arms traders. While 12 Rounds is well-made and energetic, it isn't unique enough to go a long distance, but in my opinion it doesn't need to, if you can get through it and enjoy it, that's what counts above all things. I'll give it a 6/10! Not a bad film at all.

Next Review : A Dangerous Method.