2 Guns Review

Director: Baltasar Kormakur.

Cast: Denzel Washington, Mark Wahlberg, Paula Patton, Bill Paxton, Edward James Olmos, James Marsden.

Running Time: 109 minutes.

Certificate: 15.

Synopsis: Two criminals discover they are members of different US government agencies. They soon find themselves embroiled in a complex scheme which sees members of the CIA, US Military, and a Mexican drug cartel chasing after $41 million.

Want success? Then simply take Denzel Washington and add a white guy. SAFE HOUSE had Ryan Reynolds, UNSTOPPABLE had Chris Pine and TRAINING DAY had Ethan Hawke. Now it’s the turn of Mark Wahlberg, only this time Washington isn’t the dominant mentor, but on completely equal footing with his partner. Serving as a great bromantic comedy when focusing on its leads, Washington and Wahlberg are a natural duo that simply sizzle with chemistry. Able to weave dialogue at incredible pace with sly smiles that beg for adoration, the relationship between the two is front and centre and easily eclipses a lazy romantic subplot which the writer realises you couldn’t care less about.

Despite the never-ending showcase of wit, the film does struggle to keep the plot as engaging as its characters. Although based on a comic, the entire film wreaks of a late 1990s throwback. It’s a convoluted affair involving snappy dialogue, multiple factions of unsavoury characters, a MacGuffin which everyone lasts after, and an inevitable showdown that gets increasingly out of control. We may not have seen one of these for quite some time, but each plot point has been run into the ground over the years and no longer offers any element of surprise.

It could be argued that Washington and Wahlberg are just too damn good together. Where everything around them lacks in comparison, the film knows its trump cards and continues to play them. Via a rushed script or scissor-happy editing, the film constantly throws Wahlberg and Washington back together as the film loses momentum when they are apart. This unfortunately crosses over into other characters’ screen time, with James Marsden, Edward James Olmos and Bill Paxton giving good performances, but always seeming rushed so that we can get back to the stars of the film.

2 GUNS is all about the 2 GUNS of the title, and they’ll be damned if anyone gets in their way. Every aspect is elevated by the efforts of the two Ws, and their fans can rejoice in the knowledge that they help each other shine brighter, rather than trying to outdo each other. This is a pair that needs to work together again whether it is a sequel to this, or perhaps a completely new project. 2 GUNS is a clear demonstration of how charisma and charm can turn even the blandest of plots into something a little bit special.

2 GUNS is released in UK cinemas today.