Triple 9 (2016)
Worldview Entertainment
Directed by: John Hillcoat
Starring: Chiwetel Ejiofor, Anthony Makie, Casey Affleck, Woody Harrelson
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The Good:
The movie is jam-packed with talented actors that each contribute some quality and value to the overall film. Walking Dead fans will be happy to see their favorite actor Norman Reedus on the big screen again. Chiwetel Ejiofor played an interesting character (“Michael Atwood”) who makes you question at times whether you should root for him or not. Anthony Mackie (Yes, he’s in “The Good” section) was given a role that was complimentary to his acting strengths. It would seem as though he channeled into his inner “Denzel from Training Day” for this role. Casey Affleck, Woody Harrelson, are just a few more names to join in on this film.
What made this work was that every actor stayed in their lane, so to speak. Each of them was interesting in their own way. I don’t think that any one character was the actual lead character.
The movie begins with some very engaging action and thrills (as you’ll see in the trailers) and ends at the same high level. Even though this movie may remind you of some other movies you may have seen in the past, the story is pretty original for the most part. What I appreciated even more so than that was the fact that the plot was not overly predictable either. The best highlight of the movie will probably be the couple of unforeseeable plot twists.
The Bad:
The main issue I can see with this film is that with the vast array of characters, and given the multi-layered plot, the story can become a tad bit overwhelming. You just get pulled in so many different directions that it may become a little difficult to connect all of the dots. For the most part you’ll just go along with it, but one thing this movie could’ve used, in my opinion, is that one character who just recaps everything for the audience.
The Reason:
I appreciated this movie because it felt like the classic 90’s original thrillers that used to keep us on the edge of our seats. While this may not be the best movie in the world, it certainly was enjoyable. You could probably think of this movie as Street Kings + Training Day + Inside Man. I would probably say that when it comes to your money, you can make this a matinee, discounted watch in the theaters. On the other hand, if you happened to see this in the comfort of your own home, it would probably be even more satisfying of a watch. Either way, I’d say it’s a safe movie to watch.
