Lockout

Lockout

(James Mather, Stephen St. Leger, 2012)

Rating: 3.5/5

Reviewed by Dave Lancaster

Summary: So rapid-fire in its witty exchanges, it's almost screwball 'Lockout' is great fun. Think 'Bringing Up Baby' in space. Plus Guy Pearce makes for a fantastic acid-tongued action hero.

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John Carpenter's 'Escape From New York' follows a wisecracking criminal (Kurt Russell) who is drafted in by the government to infiltrate a maximum security prison overrun by bad guys to rescue the US president. He may want to sue those responsible for James Mather and Stephen St. Leger's 'Lockout' - a film that follows a wisecracking criminal (Guy Pearce) who is drafted by the government to infiltrate a maximum security prison overrun by bad guys to rescue the US president's daughter (Maggie Grace). Different here is that the prison in 'Lockout' is in space.

What is surprising is that Guy Pearce makes for just as good an action hero as Kurt Russell did. Pearce's comic timing is spot on and it's the witty exchanges that make 'Lockout' an enjoyable slice of cinematic escapism. Pearce is Snow, a buff falsely accused criminal who accepts the mission to save the President's daughter Emilie (Maggie Grace) to redeem himself.

Here's a sample exchange:

Emilie: Are you always this obnoxious?
Snow: Shh...
Emilie: [whispering] Did you hear something?
Snow: No, I'm just enjoying the silence.

There are good lines here and decent actors to deliver them amid the bullets and explosions. 'Lockout' is pretty much 'Bringing Up Baby' in space.

In an era of hollow, humourless action epics such as 'Transformers', it's pleasing to see that ones which don't take themselves seriously like 'Lockout' and 'Avengers Assemble' are being made after a bit of time has been spent honing the script with performers who are skilled enough to interpret them.

Check out the trailer and clips from 'Lockout' HERE at Cinemas Online.

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