Freelance

This movie is one step shy of being an action movie, one step shy of being a comedy, 2 steps past being an actually interesting political drama with a step or two behind the dash of a journalism thriller.

Some interesting political commentary weaves through the story to mask the, at times, underwhelming action sequences and make up for the slapsticky humor that might seem a bit immature or flat.

It was fun, and that's all you can ask for out of something like this. John Cena has some good comedic chops and Alison Brie can go from stone cold to likable and charismatic in a snap.

Fun time at the movies if you ask me.

In silly action comedy "Freelance" ex-Special forces John Cena's bored with civilian life (married to Alice Eve) til his ex-boss Christian Slater (now running a private security firm) hires him to bodyguard journalist Alison Brie (always likeable) as she goes to interview flashy dictator Juan Pablo Raba (good) in his South American republic... where mercenary Marton Csokas leads a coup attempt, and twisty chaos, bloodshed & double-dealing ensues. It's poorly directed (especially the fight scenes) by the experienced Pierre Morel, but written engagingly enough by the debuting Jacob Lentz. It's light & forgettable, but passable enough entertainment for undemanding viewers.

Freelance has a strangely low budget feel that is coupled with very tongue-in-cheek lines. It is a film that cannot be taken seriously. However... the silliness rests on a quite poignant issue. How malign private operators exploit countries for their resources. Although this is buried away under the cheesy action scenes, looking back it is something that has stuck with me. Whether this is by design, I do not know. But the more I think about it, the more I realise the film included some clever nods towards recent dictators and various situations around the world. At the very least, some thought has gone into the film.

That to one side. John Cena is John Cena. I would like to see more of Alison Brie on the big screen, she is someone who seems to have a lot of talent that is not being used to its full extent. That is evident here, she brings something extra to her two-dimensional character in Freelance. Not a lot, though.

It is a film without revelation. If you watch it, you cannot be surprised by its mediocrity.

Not bad but not much to write home about either. Felt somewhat original but still a bit forgettable. I wasn't a big fan of the POV camera shots at the beginning. Just from the voice narrating you knew it was John Cena. His character didn't quite embody the persona of a grown-up adult but that was intentional.

Ohhh I should say I absolutely loved that they portrayed him as a stand up-guy with morals. Hate it when a guy can't just be a decent person and has to resort to cheating or something. You could see it coming, they literally built up that cheesy romcom tension leading to that one predictable moment.

John Cena was good here, one of his better roles in my opinion, more natural acting. He has that "dumb steroid" walk, which suits certain roles but feels a bit out of place in a suit and tie, accentuates the "dumb" part lol. Also nice to see Christian Slater, I only knew him from "Mr. Robot."

It was funny at times. And I really loved the hand combat scenes. There is a lot of violence, the action adds an extra star to the rating for me. Doesn't lean too heavily into any specific genre. It's laidback, fun and funny, mildly adventurous action movie. It could have been more intense and complex for drama, or more absurd for comedy, or pushed the action for a spy thriller, or even hammered home the political side; but it stays fairly balanced.

Doesn't take itself seriously. My initial thought leaving the theater was, "this would make a great pastime movie." It's worth checking out if you aren't expecting to be awed. Respectfully I don't think anybody walks into a John Cena movie expecting to be blown away. I wasn't and the movie felt better than I expected so I enjoyed it. There are certainly better films out there, but there are also worse ones.

John Cena struggles in the comedic aspects of his role as a buffoonish bodyguard, coming across as silly and unintelligent rather than funny. However, his character abruptly shifts into wisecracking fight mode when action sequences emerge, creating a lack of continuity.

Alison Brie brings little authenticity or nuance to what should be an intrepid journalist character. Her bold persona feels more like a facade, lacking the complexity that would make her motivations more compelling.

The film touches on the overdone theme of bad marriages leading to bitterness and divorce. While reflecting some realities, its portrayal leans into stereotypical notions about self-centered western culture. It offers no meaningful perspectives on relationships.

The supporting cast delivers far stronger performances, adding a groundedness that the story desperately lacks. Even the villains showcase more subtlety than the two leads.

The plot is straightforward with an absence of clever twists or unexpected turns. It does attempt some commentary on the insidiousness of dictatorships, but in uninspired fashion.

Overall, Freelance assembles an impressive cast but fails to make good use of their talents. The promising premise gives way to shallow characters and a lack of directorial creativity. Fans of the genre may forgive its shortcomings, but for most viewers the film lives down to its generic title.