The Double

The Double - Dir. Michael Brandt (2011)

The Double marks the directorial debut of screenwriter Michael Brandt, who has co-written 2 Fast 2 Furious, 3:10 to Yuma and Wanted with his writing partner Derek Haas. Together they have crafted a spy thriller inspired by Robert Ludlum and Tom Clancy as well as classic flicks like 3 Days of the Condor. The Double has languished in development hell for over a decade and was previously acquired by troubled MGM. You'd think the script had been around even longer considering the main antagonists are Russian agents. Yet, the idea of Cold War remnants infiltrating American society isn't too farfetched considering the 2010 arrest of a Russian spy ring, which included the real-life Black Widow, Anna Chapman. Sadly, there are no redheaded femme fatales in The Double, just Richard Gere and Topher Grace.

It begins with the murder of a United States senator, whose throat was slit by a garrote wire. This method of death was the trademark for a Russian assassin code-named Cassius, long thought to be dead. CIA Agent Paul Shepherdson (Gere) is called out of retirement as he had spent much of his career attempting to capture Cassius and his conspirators. Shepherdson is paired with FBI analyst Ben Geary (Grace), a Harvard graduate who wrote his thesis on Cassius.

As much as it would like to be another Bourne Identity, The Double isn't much more than a nondescript espionage film full of tropes and archetypes we've seen a thousand times over. The protagonists are a generically mismatched pair with Shepherdson as the world weary veteran and Geary as the wide-eyed and determined rookie. Shepherdson lives a lonely existence while Geary is blessed with a loving wife (Odette Yustman) and newborn baby.

The Double also hinges on two major plot twists, the first of which occurs early in the film and is given away in the theatrical trailer. The twist is a fairly obvious one, unless you've never watched a movie before in your life. At least, the first twist makes sense and propels the story into the second and third acts. The climactic twist comes out of nowhere and only muddles the narrative rather than adding an extra dimension.

Though Brandt has written some really good action movies, he doesn't have a firm grasp of the genre as a director. Perhaps, it had something to do with the limitations of shooting on a low budget. The action sequences are brief, uninspired and only seem to exist as a vain attempt to bring a little energy to the lifeless drama.

Richard Gere is still pretty spry for a man who is sixty-two. His role in The Double isn't the usual genial character he's played in so many romantic comedies. It's a part that lies somewhere in between his turn as a corrupt police detective in Internal Affairs and his cynical beat cop from Brooklyn's Finest. Topher Grace has a knack for comedy and he shines in the film's lighter moments, but doesn't make much of an impression when he's forced to exercise his dramatic muscles. The cast also includes Martin Sheen as the Director of the CIA, Stephen Moyer as a Russian assassin, and the lovely Stana Katic from Castle as a prostitute.

There isn't a good reason for this movie to even exist. The Double feels unnecessary compared to recent spy films. It doesn't come close to matching the depth and complexities of the masterful Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy. In fact, it doesn't even have half the thrills of Salt or even Spy Kids: All the Time in the World.

Rating: * ½ (*****)

Priest

Priest - Dir. Scott Stewart (2011)

Priest is supposed to be based on a Korean comic book series. Upon viewing the final product, it seems as if the filmmakers didn't even bother to read the books and chose to rip off better and more successful pictures. It's a sci-fi, action Western that's heavy on the religious imagery and light on plot and intelligence. Paul Bettany once again steps into the role of post-apocalyptic avenger with his Legion director Scott Stewart. Just as Legion was essentially Assault on Precinct 13 with angels and demons, Priest is The Searchers with vampires instead of Indians.

Priest begins promisingly enough with an animated prologue done by Genndy Tartakovsky (Dexter's Lab, Samurai Jack). This opening details how the world was ravaged by a centuries-long war between humans and vampires, re-envisioned as feral, eye-less creatures. Eventually the Church employed priests, skilled warriors bred to hunt and kill vampires. The priests cut down the blood-sucking hordes and forced the remaining survivors onto closely guarded reservations. With the battle now over, the priests found it difficult to re-integrate into normal life. They are forced to work menial labor and considered pariahs to a frightened society ruled over by the Church.

Bettany, as the nameless Priest, lives in a walled off city filled with neo-Gothic skyscrapers adorned with video billboards that may remind sci-fi fans of Blade Runner. Orwellian speak placards (FAITH WORK SECURITY) are plastered throughout the theocratic metropolis. He receives word that the vampire menace has returned and attacked the family of his brother, Owen (Stephen Moyer), and kidnapped daughter Lucy (Lily Collins). The Church council headed by Monsignor Orelas (Christopher Plummer) refuses to acknowledge the growing danger lest it tarnish their image of infallibility. Priest defies their commands, teaming with Lucy's boyfriend, a young sheriff named Hicks (Cam Gigandet) to rescue her and defeat Black Hat (Karl Urban), a former Priest transformed into a human/vampire hybrid. The Church sends the lovely Maggie Q and a trio of other priests to apprehend their errant brother.

Leaving the dystopian city, the setting shifts to a post-apocalyptic wasteland that's equal parts Judge Dredd, Mad Max, and Star Wars. The characters zoom across the desolate horizons on high-tech motorcycles. Priest doesn't bother with trifling things like logic and character development, jumping into one action sequence to another. Not counting the end credits, the film runs a little over eighty minutes so, at least, it knows not to overstay its welcome. The action is completely silly with more slow motion shots than all of Zack Snyder's movies combined. Priest doesn't use guns to fight vampires because he's armed with crucifix-shaped throwing stars. When Priest visits his brother on his deathbed, you can't help but think Stephen Moyer looks in good shape despite being mauled by demonic creatures.

The acting is as wooden as the stakes you usually see being plunged into the heart of a vampire with Cam Gigandet faring the worst as the dull gunfighter. Christopher Plummer (perhaps his most embarrassing pic since Starcarsh) and Karl Urban are wasted in one-note roles as is the great Brad Dourif in a throwaway part as a snake oil salesman.

Following the 3D trend, Priest was converted in post-production, but I viewed it in old fashioned 2D. The majority of the film occurs at night or in dark underground settings. I had enough of a hard time trying to see what's happening and I can't imagine how much darker it was in 3D.

Priest is the kind of mindless action movie that may satisfy those craving for junk food cinema. Anyone else will see it as a boring, derivative mess that will soon find its way into the Wal-Mart discount dump bin underneath unsold copies of Ultraviolet and Jonah Hex.

Rating: * (*****)