The Losers

The Losers - Dir. Sylvain White (2010)


I’m not really sure how I should feel about an action film that uses “Don’t Stop Believing” by Journey as its theme song.

2010 is a big year for comic book movies (Kick-Ass, Iron Man 2) and movies about elite military units (The A-Team and The Expendables). Well, The Losers fits into both categories. Published by DC Comics, the original incarnation of the Losers was created in 1970 by Robert Kanigher who also co-created Sgt. Rock with legendary artist Joe Kubert. They were a Special Forces group that operated during WWII. In 2004, the concept was revamped for DC’s mature readers imprint, Vertigo.

The titular team is comprised of several colorful individuals each with specialized abilities. The Losers are under the command of Col. Franklin Clay, played by Jeffrey Dean Morgan with the same gruff and rough edges that he brought to the Comedian in Watchmen. Clay’s second-in-command is Roque (Idris Elba) who seems to be equally as gruff. Rounding out the team are fast-talking tech-head Jensen (Chris Evans), pilot/driver Pooch (Columbus Short), and the silent sniper Cougar (Oscar Jaenada).

The Losers are sent on a mission in Central America to mark the compound of a big-time drug lord for an air strike. When they see children in the compound being used as mules, they disobey orders and go in to rescue them. The Losers load the kids onto their extraction chopper only to watch helplessly as it’s blown to pieces. Presumed dead, the Losers lay low while Clay seethes with anger at the betrayal of their mysterious handler known only as Max (Jason Patric). They are approached by a woman named Aisha (Zoe Saldana) who claims she can hand them Max on a silver platter. Smuggled back into the U.S. in caskets, the Losers plan a series of intricate heists to bring down Max and get back their lives.

The Losers is a movie about good-looking people getting together, blowing shit up then saying a bunch of witty one-liners. There aren’t many nuances beyond that in the script by Peter Berg (who was previously attached to direct) and James Vanderbilt (Zodiac). The opening of the film really goes for the jugular in a cheesy way by going into a close-up of a burning teddy bear in the aftermath of the crash. Despite all the wreckage, we don’t see any dismembered limbs or kiddie corpses. It’s a lot like an old episode of G.I. Joe where planes crash constantly, but the pilots always parachute out at the last second.

Since the screenplay uses nearly every corny, action movie cliché in the story, Sylvain White apparently felt the need to employ nearly every corny, action movie cliché in his direction. The movie is littered with slow motion, fast motion, jump cuts, whip pans, and zooms. Characters stand dramatically in various positions as if they were posing for an album cover. We get at least two or three variations of the standard ‘good guys walk away from an explosion in slow motion without looking back’ sequences.

However, the film is so breezy and cartoonish that it’s hard not to sit back and check your brain at the door. Most of the fun comes from the chemistry and interplay between the characters. Especially noteworthy is Chris Evans who seems to be having a ton of fun as the smart aleck to end all smart alecks. He was one of the only highlights of the atrocious Fantastic Four movies and he’s one of the highlights here, including belting out a really obnoxious rendition of the above mentioned Journey tune. Evans seems to be gunning for Ryan Reynolds’ spot as Mr. Comic Book Movie. In addition to both Fantastic Four pictures and The Losers, he’ll be seen in the upcoming Scott Pilgrim vs. The World and was recently cast as Captain America for Marvel Studios. Also hamming it up is Jason Patric as the evil Max. Patric understands that he’s been cast firmly in a B-movie and takes every opportunity to chew his scenes and spit them out.

The Losers won’t be widely regarded in the canon of comic book films the way Iron Man or The Dark Knight are. It’s blunt and one-dimensional, but it’s a fun popcorn flick. Besides, any movie where Zoe Saldana fires a rocket launcher can’t be all bad.

Rating: ** ½