Reviewed by Justin Bateman
Stars John Cena, Aidan Gillen, Ashley Scott, Steve Harris,
Brian White, Gonzalo Menendez, Taylor Cole, Kyle Clements, Peter Navy Tuiasosopo, Travis Davis
Written by Daniel Kunka
Certification UK 12A | US PG-13
Runtime 107 minutes
Directed by Renny Harlin
International terrorist Miles Jackson (Gillen) is on the verge of pulling off an arms deal double-cross/diamond heist when, due to the intervention of New Orleans cop Danny Fisher (Cena), his girlfriend is killed. Vowing revenge on Fisher, Jackson is imprisoned. Exactly one year later and having escaped prison, Jackson kidnaps Fisher’s girlfriend Molly (Scott) and blows up his house. This is "round one" of 12, with Jackson setting Fisher a series of 11 further Herculean tasks to complete if he’s to stand any chance of saving his loved one.
Coming across like a dumbed-down, sped-up Die Hard With A Vengeance and borrowing plenty from the Lethal Weapon and Speed films, this latest blockbuster from Harlin is a throwback to the crash-bang-wallop action thrillers of the 80s and 90s, the likes of which are rarely seen these days. Up to a point this is no bad thing because, in the hands of the experienced Harlin, 12 Rounds is a breathless, sweaty-palm inducing thriller with a pulsing soundtrack and there is barely a moment where someone (usually wrestling superstar Cena) isn’t running, jumping, driving, fighting or generally causing mass destruction. You’d have thought that New Orleans had been through enough what with Hurricane Katrina and all, but Harlin makes sure that cars are crushed and buildings explode on a regular and spectacular enough basis to remind the viewer that THIS IS AN ACTION FILM. All right, Renny, we get it!
The plot, as you might expect, is almost painfully convoluted but surprisingly it’s not quite as facile as it looks. The dialogue is another matter and it clunks along with none of the trademark quips we’ve come to expect from the likes of John McClane or Martin Riggs. They might have been corny but it beats the predictable film cop talk spouted throughout 12 Rounds. As for the performances, it’s definitely a case of action over acting. Cena is like a big lumbering Action Man doll, and although he’s not required to emote, he’s likeable enough as the simple but determined Fisher. Gillen is sufficiently smarmy but somewhat underused in what amounts to an answering service role. Meanwhile, poor old Ashley Scott spends most of the time bound and gagged so if you’re looking for a strong female role, look elsewhere.
Formulaic, dumb, and almost entirely unoriginal, 12 Rounds is utter nonsense but in a really good, old-fashioned blockbuster way. It’s loud, frenetic and funny in ways it perhaps shouldn’t be, but if you don’t leave the cinema with a big, stupid grin on your face then you’ve forgotten how to have fun.