Mark Wahlberg and director Peter Berg were on the same page when drawing up this neo-noir action-comedy buddy film.
Never aspiring to more than great entertainment with the simple message that sometimes the good guys DO win, and doing the right thing is the only way to live one's life, the dynamic duo of Wahlberg (Batman) and Winston Duke (A linebacker sized Robin) "upper-cut" punch their way through a fringe dirty-cop cartel in Boston as "everyman" heroes.
Alan Arkin takes on the "Alfred" role with his usual perfect droll advice and view of the world, and Iliza Shlisinger as a South Bostie version of Lois Lane (yes, I know LL comes from a different Super Hero comic;) rounds out the Bat-Team.
Lots of fun and action once the back-story is developed enough to set the stage, with a perfect mix of wry humor doled out throughout.
The cliched story of your average Joe/Jane rising to extraordinary circumstances to help out a wronged good cop by a cartel of bad guys and bad cops, works in this film, which does not apologize for being great fun, and does not pretend or aspire to be more than it is.
In the age of fake news and political agendas, great to sit back and enjoy a couple of hours of feel-good good guys win fantasy.
New action franchise? Potential for sequel is approximately 65%.
