White girls love Wesley.Out of all the fallen stars currently doing the dodgy direct-to-video shuffle, former Hollywood heavyweight Wesley Snipes seems perfectly content to take the middle road of meandering mediocrity. The majority of his post-theatrical efforts are basically hollow excuses for lots of Snipes-oriented action, allowing this strong dramatic actor to flaunt his considerable martial arts skills to an industry that doesn't seem to care that he's capable of more than just a handful of well-choreographed theatrics. If Snipes were willing to put his heart and soul into a production, I think he might be able to boldly reclaim his tarnished box office throne. Assuming, of course, that he still cares about such superficial malarkey.
Josef Rusnak's 2007 action thriller The Contractor is certainly a step in the right direction for Snipes, giving the troubled actor a rare opportunity to deliver a quasi-emotional performance comparable to his work in Sugar Hill and Jungle Fever. Don't get me wrong -- Wesley is still phoning it in from another planet, but it's a definite improvement over the past few STV actioners he's dumped onto what's left of his dwindling fan base. Will The Contractor drastically change your opinion of the man and his career? Not quite, though it may prompt you to investigate the stronger titles sprinkled generously across his sizable filmography.
Snipes stars as stoic assassin-turned-horse wrangler James Dial, a deeply damaged human being who has seen more than his fair share of horrific violence and pointless bloodletting. Called back into the line of fire by his former boss, Dial is promptly shipped to London just in time to obliterate an international terrorist who slipped through our hero's fingers several years ago. As it goes with such cinematic scenarios, the mission goes awry, something blows up, and Dial takes refuge inside his English liaison's dingy apartment complex. With the help of a fearless young girl and her indomitable spirit, James will attempt to flee the country before law enforcement officials slap a pair of rusty cuffs on his thick death-dealing wrists.
If you're one of the many movie-going popcorn addicts who sat through Antoine Fuqua's assassin opus Shooter earlier this year, you may notice a slight similarity between Wesley's latest endeavor and the vastly superior Mark Wahlberg vehicle. In fact, The Contractor was produced under working title of The Shooter, altered at the eleventh hour I'm sure to disassociated itself from its spiffy Hollywood counterpart. And while I'm fairly certain Josef Rusnak's snazzy flick isn't some cheap opportunistic knock-off, most discerning film buffs won't be able to see past the uncanny resemblance.
Those expecting something as fast-paced as Unstoppable or The Detonator might be a little disgruntled with the surprising lack of typical Wesley Snipes wizardry contained within this outing. The action sequences are few and far between; the good stuff has apparently been squirreled away for the final fifteen minute showdown between Dial and the plethora of shady characters who would like nothing more than to see him dead. Unfortunately, Rusnak ruins any impact these scenes may have had by turning them into cheap European music videos, complete with flashy edits and pointless stylistic tinkering. Since most of the film is comprised of simple stationary shots, the inclusion of this technique is both jarring and unwelcomed.
To my complete and utter shock, The Contractor's strongest element is its surprisingly competent cast. Snipes appears to be more awake than usual, though his sleepy eyes still suggest he's napping peacefully behind the wheel. The supporting players, on the other hand, are a step above the morons who usually sign on for these projects, delivering a gaggle of above-average performances despite a somewhat muddled script. Young Eliza Bennett (Nanny McPhee) is a diamond in the rough, while Lena Headley is sorely wasted as the film's ever-wandering British inspector. I suppose you can't win them all, Queen Gorgo.
My recommendation of The Contractor comes with a disclaimer: Don't go into this one expecting the same old direct-to-video Wesley Snipes flick. Rusnak's deliberately paced project is more of a cat-and-mouse thriller than a straight-forward action picture, a fact which may put off those in search of brainless wall-to-wall action. If you can overlook the glaring similarities to Fuqua's like-minded assassin story, chances are you may have a smashing good time with this decently directed production. Again, it's not going to reaffirm your belief in the All-Mighty Snipes, but it should provide you and your action-obsessed buddies with an evening's worth of mildly thoughtful entertainment.
Wesley and his stuffy IRS representative greatly appreciate your continued support.
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The Film Fiend
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