Parker
Based on the series of bestselling novels by Donald E. Westlake, Parker finds British tough guy Jason Statham playing the eponymous lead. Double-crossed and left for dead by his fellow criminals, Parker duly seeks revenge by traveling to Florida to get one over on them at their next heist.
For a film which seems to scream hokum, it’s got a pretty decent supporting cast and director in the form of Taylor Hackford (Ray). You also get the likes of Jennifer Lopez, Michael Chiklis, Wendell Pierce and Nick Nolte for the price of your ticket, which makes all the negative reviews even more disappointing. “Parker‘s not so much broad or inclusive as weirdly schizophrenic, vacillating between flat comedy and spiked savagery, the product of a painfully slapdash script,” rants Slant. “Statham is stepping into a well-known persona. But he’s not exactly pushing himself outside his comfort zone; he’s on auto-pilot here, despite the obvious physical demands of the part,” reflects the Associated Press. And The Wrap doesn’t even think about holding back: “If you’ve ever wanted to see the camel that’s the result of that proverbial horse-building committee, check out Parker — and the hump, you’ll pardon the expression, is the character played by Jennifer Lopez.”
Q&A: Jason Statham
NewsFeed’s Flicks Pick: For curiosity value alone, Movie 43 could be worth checking out, although you’re probably going to get a more traditional movie experience out of Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters.