Homefront *** (2013, Jason Statham, James Franco, Winona Ryder) – Movie Review

Jason Statham stars as former DEA drug enforcement agent, Phil Broker, who, after the death of his wife, moves with his daughter to a quiet, seemingly tranquil backwoods bayou town.

His hopes for a quieter life in a safer location are dashed when he discovers the place is riddled with drugs and violence. And it’s all being orchestrated by James Franco’s sociopathic meth-cooking kingpin, Gator Bodine.

The story’s more than a bit basic but there’s plenty of tough fighting and hard action for Statham fans and the movie’s very well made and nicely shot. Statham’s Expendables co-star Sylvester Stallone’s script, based on Chuck Logan’s novel, is surprisingly clunky, with plot development, characterisation and dialogue all pretty weak and feeble.

That good and charming actor James Franco is terrible as the villain, while Winona Ryder is totally lost as the villainess, a biker chick helping run the drug operation. Both are miscast beyond comprehension. The idea of Franco taking on the well-hard Statham doesn’t really seem much of a match, does it? Next we know, Franco will have a part in the next Expendables movies.

Director Gary Fleder knows how to make a good crime thriller – he directed Kiss the Girls (1997), Don’t Say a Word (2001), Impostor (2001) and Runaway Jury (2003), but it’s all a long time ago. And this isn’t really good crime thriller. But Fleder does make it look good and keeps it fast moving, ensuring action, tension and atmosphere are well taken care of.

This is the kind of movie Charles Bronson used to churn out in the old days, confirming the idea that Statham is the new Bronson. Like Statham, Bronson used to make a good movie once in a while, but this isn’t one of them. It’s a just passable rainy night movie, but that’s all. Action thrillers shouldn’t be boring, but quite often this one is. Likeable Teflon action star Statham walks through it all unscathed, just like Bronson used to.

Ryder said she took the part as it allowed her to explore something new: ‘What’s creepy is that she’s sober and she’s running this drug operation with James Franco’s character, and to me it’s the epitome of evil, in a weird way. If it’s possible to be a victim and be diabolical at the same time, I had never explored that. There was also a slightly campy, arm-candy element to her that appealed to me. She’s such a complete chick. She’s what you think of when you hear the words “biker chick”’.

(C) Derek Winnert 2013 derekwinnert.com