Globalism has hit the action genre hard, and the movies coming out of the wreckage are apt to be more than a tad disappointing. We once knew (or were told to believe) that democracy was good, everything else was bad and Americans had the God-given right to go after profits abroad and protect their families at home.
Remember when that formula used to work? Now democracy is a joke, free enterprise sucks, money and violence go hand in hand wreaking havoc on the planet, and it's every man for himself out there, regardless of ideology or country of origin. Such is the cynicism that penetrates the action genre nowadays, and if you're in the mood for carnage and mayhem and innocent people dying by the boatload, look no further than "The Gunman." If you do watch it though, a stiff drink — or two (or three) — is recommended, and prepare to settle into a "boy, do I feel bad" groove.
"The Gunman" has two things going for it: the star wattage of the central cast (Javier Bardem, Idris Elba and Ray Winstone) and the stunningly fit 55-year-old bod of its lead, Sean Penn. This two-time Oscar winner is also the co-writer and producer of the film, and he sank a great deal of his own cash into the project, according to online rumors. The director is Pierre Morel, who remade Irish gent Liam Neeson into a badass action star with "Taken." Perhaps Penn was aiming for the same regenerating magic?