- MPAA RATING: PG-13
- RUNTIME: 95 minutes
Futuristic film has dim future with moviegoers
Staff Writer
Starring Guy Pearce and Maggie Grace, “Lockout” is the story of a wrongly convicted man who is given a chance at freedom if he can save the president’s daughter from a gang of psychotic criminals.
Set in 2079, the film begins with ex-government agent Snow (Pearce) being interrogated for a crime he didn’t commit. Soon, he is sentenced to 30 years at a futuristic prison in space called Maximum Security One.
It just so happens that while he is being prepped to go to MSO, the president’s daughter, Emilie Warnock (Grace) is at the prison looking into the practices of MSO.
Through a boorish series of events – including a prison riot – Warnock’s safety and Pierce’s acting ability both come into question.
Instead of storming the prison, the government decides to send Snow on an extraction mission in exchange for his freedom, and so begins the two-hour snore fest.
The action scenes in this movie play out like a bad Japanese cartoon. The viewer can’t tell what the hell is going on because of the shaky camera work and quick, back-and-forth cuts.
The acting is just as bad with Grace being the only one who turns in a performance that doesn’t seem forced and over-the-top. Pearce is witty at times and isn’t bad in the lead role, but we’ve seen this character a million times.
Visually the film looks fantastic as long as there isn’t a fight scene going on. It’s clear that we’re watching a movie set in the future, but the design and look of the film doesn’t seem unrealistic for 60 years from now.
The film plays out in a predictable fashion and any action film fan will see where the story is going long before the final scenes play out.
With a ridiculous plot line, poor acting and even worse production, this was one of the worst action movies I’ve seen in a long time. I actually found myself dozing off at points and wishing the film would just end.
For those who enjoy action films regardless of how bad acting and plotlines can be, “Lockout” might be worth a look once it hits the bargain-bin at your local video store.
Genre ACTION
Rated PG-13
Runtime 95 minutes
