Wanted Man

In this film written, directed and starring Dolph Lundgren, we see an aging racist cop having to go to Mexico to get some witnesses to balance out his politically incorrect behavior which was caught on camera. Obviously, bad people don't want the witnesses to survive, so the cop will have to band and survive together with people he despises by default, thus learning a lesson.

It is a familiar concept, done in no way differently from other films that tackled the same issue. It feels more honest, with no ha-ha humor or crazy stunts, though. Dolph is almost 70 years old and it shows, unfortunately. The plot is quite obvious from the beginning and the situations in which some sort of emotional connection could have been built are often wasted. That's why I can't recommend it.

The film also manages to convey, probably accidentally, how the US starts to look to people outside it. In the movie, the Mexicans are all young, vibrant and fearless, even the bad guys. In contrast, the Americans are old, decrepit, stuck in their ways and expecting everybody else to respect their authority. Old cops, hunting for their gone youth, in a country led by old men, changing in artificial ways that don't matter, like politically correctness. Somehow, I doubt that was the message Lundgren was trying to send.

Kelsey Grammer and Michael Paré and also in this, although their roles are minimal. I like Dolph, even if he barely speaks and he barely moves now. It's nostalgia, and this film is banking on it. But it feels like something that should have been done 20 years ago.

Of course I opted to sit down and watch the 2024 action thriller "Wanted Man", when I happened to come across it by random chance. And seeing some familiar faces like Dolph Lundgren and Kelsey Grammer on the cover just helped to sweeten the deal.

Writers Dolph Lundgren, Michael Worth and Hank Hugues put together a rather enjoyable and entertaining script and storyline. It was interesting to read that Dolph Lundgren had been working on fleshing out the script for the movie since 2006, so it must have been fulfilling for him to finally get it to the screen. One might argue that the script and narrative is generic for an action thriller, but I have to admit that I was genuinely entertained by it, and thus the movie did the job it was supposed to do - entertain.

The script has a twist to it along the way, of course it does. And I will say that I definitely enjoyed the twist of events that the writers implemented into the storyline. Predictable? Perhaps, but entertaining nonetheless.

The acting performances in "Wanted Man" was good. Of course you know what you are getting when you sit down to watch a movie with Dolph Lundgren in the leading role, and he does what he does best here, no doubt about it. It was a shame that Kelsey Grammer didn't have a bigger part to play in the movie. Michael Paré and Roger Cross also shows up in the movie, also in lesser roles, unfortunately. I wasn't familiar with actress Christina Villa, but she definitely put on a good performance alongside with Dolph Lundgren.

There is a good amount of action to spruce up the storyline. And it works, because it is adequately choreographed action sequences that compliment the storyline nicely.

If you enjoy a good old action thriller, then give "Wanted Man" a chance. I was genuinely entertained by the movie, and it is a movie that I warmly recommend to fans of the action thriller genre. This is an action thriller that is well-worth sitting down and spending 85 minutes on watching.

My rating of director Dolph Lundgren's 2024 movie "Wanted Man" lands on a six out of ten stars.

This was fine. Nothing memorable and outstanding, but has a great cast. It's a Dolph film and he's the star. The actors do show the age, so don't expect John Wick or anything.

The other stars are in here for a short bit, but play a big role in the movie.

If you like 80's movies, and miss the days of simple plots and easy to follow scenes, then this is it.

Johansen (Lundgren) is an aging detective, whose outdated policing methods have given the department a recent public relations problem. To save his job, he is sent to Mexico to extradite a female witness (Villa) to the murders of two DEA agents. Once there, he finds not only his old opinions challenged, but that bad hombres on both sides of the border are now gunning for him and his witness.

Wanted Man stars Dolph Lundgren in a role that capitalizes on his action-hero legacy. Lundgren delivers a solid performance, bringing his trademark intensity and physical presence to the screen. The film's action sequences are engaging, featuring some stunts and fight choreography that fans of the genre will appreciate. The cinematography also adds a polished look, enhancing the overall experience.

However, while the film has some strengths, it also has its shortcomings. The plot feels somewhat formulaic, following familiar action movie tropes without offering much new or innovative. The story can be predictable at times, and character development is minimal, with some roles coming off as one-dimensional. Additionally, the pacing occasionally drags, particularly between the action set pieces, which can make parts of the film feel uneven.

Overall, Wanted Man is a competent action film that benefits from Dolph Lundgren's commanding presence and well-crafted action scenes. Though it doesn't break new ground in the genre and has some pacing issues, it remains an entertaining watch for fans of action films looking for a straightforward, adrenaline-pumping experience.

This reminded me a little of John Wayne's "Mc Q" (1974) only this time it's Dolph Lundgren who is the curmudgeonly old cop who bends the rules to suit the investigation. That's caused his bosses a bit of an headache, so they want to put that frankly rather odious "Johansen" out to pasture. A trip to Mexico is organised so he can retrieve and escort a vital witness in a double-murder case back to the USA. "Rosa" (Christina Villa) is no shrinking violet and the couple don't exactly hit it off, but gradually that all changes as the pair begin to realise that they are being played. By whom, though? That's the six million dollar question. I'm afraid the presence of Kelsey Grammer in anything (except maybe the early editions of "Cheers") never bodes well for me, and his mediocrity rather sums up this whole thing. It hasn't an original bone in it's body as it follows well established plot lines, constantly escaping from hellish scenarios against overwhelming odds and firepower. It's as if his dark sunglasses gave him a degree of immortality. Rapid healing powers at any rate. Duplicity, police corruption, betrayal - you name it and it's been squeezed into this bland and repetitive thriller that's very short on thrills. Television fodder at best, sorry.