Writers Michael Winnick and Terri Farley-Teruel didn't exactly put together a script and storyline that had a whole lot going on for it. It was pretty straightforward, but also way too simplistic. There just simply wasn't enough of neither entertainment value nor much of any cerebral contents. And that made sitting through "Dark Asset" somewhat bland. In fact, you can just zone out, lean back and munch on the popcorn while the bland story progresses on the screen.
There were two familiar faces on the cast list, that being Byron Mann and Robert Patrick. The acting performances in "Dark Asset" were okay, but the actors and actresses weren't given all that much contents to work with in terms of script and character gallery.
What keeps the movie afloat is the action and fight sequences. Though I love how several fully automatic weapons on burst firing modes were unable to shoot through that thin wooden restaurant table that John was hiding behind in the restaurant scene, but hey, at least it provided me with a good laugh.
While I did managed to sit through all 90 minutes that the movie ran for, I have to say that I bet I will blissfully have forgotten about the movie come tomorrow.
"Dark Asset" is a movie that came and went without leaving a lasting impression. And it most definitely isn't a movie that I will be returning to a second time. Nor is it a movie that I would recommend you to rush out and get to watch.
Not the greatest of movies, sure, but watchable enough for the mindless entertainment it was. My rating of director Michael Winnick's 2023 action thriller "Dark Asset" lands on a very generous three out of ten stars.
