Many don't realize, there is a real skill and talent to creating movie trailers, as anyone who has ever been let down by a movie after anticipating it from watching the preview trailers knows. I have had the honor of sitting in on several film making workshops in the past including the ways to create trailers. People should know, trailer are not so much about telling you about the movie as they are in getting you interested in seeing the movie. Those responsible for the trailers for American Assassin did a great job, they created trailers that had me wanting to see this movie.
American Assassin is a movie that has as a backdrop, the CIA and their forces responsible at times for the assassination of various individuals, whether they be terrorist threats or world figures looking to do great harm to the interests of the United States. I will address this reality a bit later in the review.
Early on in the movie we see a young man, who is in love with his soon to be fiancé. The opening sequence is rather powerful, promising and thought provoking. It provides the catalyst behind what drives Mitch Rapp, played by O'Brien to become a vigilante of sorts. In the early progression of his character he ends up teaming up with the CIA and a special opps unit led by former Navy Seal, Stan Hurley, played by Michael Keaton. Hurley is a rough and tough leader who is well crafted at the skill sets needed to be a trainer of top assassins for the United States.
While this movie is technically pretty good, it is seriously lacking in story and unfortunately the very predictable direction and script did not help. Not only is the dialog weak but the acting overall sub standard. The fight sequences are often unbelievable and seems to want the audience to take them seriously. A much more violent film that is currently out, The Hitman's Bodyguard understands the comic book touch that scenes like this needs and provide in being effective. American Assassins don't go there though. The sequences are not choreographed well and the audience sees it. There are scenes of torture that is a bit more believable, but even here, there is that something that seems to be lacking. It isn't in the acting which involves Keaton, he is a formidable actor that makes these types of scenes watchable.
With the political climate as it is around the world today, there seems to be many, from faith and non faith perspectives that questions the activities of groups like the CIA. Unfortunately, many of those groups seem to forget about the threats of those in our world who out of either vengeance, or a serious conflict of belief systems, want to kill and destroy others. There are thought provoking questions that comes from movies like American Assassin. The serious conversation of such needs by various governments need to take place. Some take a wait and see approach, sometimes, even governments take that position, but those positions, for the evil that exist in the world could and likely have and will result in even more deaths from rogue nations, terrorists and groups, whether they driven by politics or religion. The wait and see approach, often leads to an evil action, a response to an evil action can, and often times does, result in unneeded deaths. It is not to say that all political involvement or certainly not all religious involvement falls into this category but the wait and see approach certainly does exist within some groups and sub groups as does the intent to do evil, destructive things. The question then becomes, how do you deal with it? In American Assassin we see this played out in a way many may be able to relate to, that is, what should be the response if a rogue group obtained a nuclear weapon or as many call it, a suitcase bomb?
The question of how to deal with this seems to permeate the news now a days related to terrorism and North Korea. Many Christians and people of faith seem to either take this from a nationalistic point of view or others strictly from a "peace loving" never do harm to others "Jesus" sort of way. Unfortunately, many in both groups seem to take lightly passages like Roman's 13 that speaks of Governmental responsibilities. Many have become a part of a over sensitive world where we can't even seem to discuss passages like this any more. without getting angry and writing the other group who disagrees with us off. If anything, American Assassins helps illustrate the need for that discussion, what is the responsibility of the individual Christian or person of faith, whatever that faith and what is the responsibilities of Government, whether it be from a local police department to a national group like the CIA? These are serious questions that have to be given some thought, thankfully, from at least this one reviewer, I can ask those types of questions, and hopefully people take seriously those questions as they search out the truth of their actions. Can we, should we (people of faith who hold to spiritual truths), recognize the different responsibilities and actions of us as individuals versus those of government? How do we, or should we force our religious views on those governments and should they be held responsible, as secular governmental groups, to the same standards that people of faith are held to?
The discussion that can come about from American Assassin is one of the positive attributes of the film, there are some decent special effects and surprising moments but as a whole, this movie fell short for me. It isn't a horrible movie, but it isn't a great movie either, outside of the questions it can cause the viewer or reader of this review to ponder it is unfortunately, for me, just an average movie that is worth seeing, but only for a matinee or later via DVD or streaming option. Until then, or even now, those questions I ponder are questions I think appropriate for discussion, so if you see fit, and are willing to discuss respectfully, let's discuss.
The question of how to deal with this seems to permeate the news now a days related to terrorism and North Korea. Many Christians and people of faith seem to either take this from a nationalistic point of view or others strictly from a "peace loving" never do harm to others "Jesus" sort of way. Unfortunately, many in both groups seem to take lightly passages like Roman's 13 that speaks of Governmental responsibilities. Many have become a part of a over sensitive world where we can't even seem to discuss passages like this any more. without getting angry and writing the other group who disagrees with us off. If anything, American Assassins helps illustrate the need for that discussion, what is the responsibility of the individual Christian or person of faith, whatever that faith and what is the responsibilities of Government, whether it be from a local police department to a national group like the CIA? These are serious questions that have to be given some thought, thankfully, from at least this one reviewer, I can ask those types of questions, and hopefully people take seriously those questions as they search out the truth of their actions. Can we, should we (people of faith who hold to spiritual truths), recognize the different responsibilities and actions of us as individuals versus those of government? How do we, or should we force our religious views on those governments and should they be held responsible, as secular governmental groups, to the same standards that people of faith are held to? The discussion that can come about from American Assassin is one of the positive attributes of the film, there are some decent special effects and surprising moments but as a whole, this movie fell short for me. It isn't a horrible movie, but it isn't a great movie either, outside of the questions it can cause the viewer or reader of this review to ponder it is unfortunately, for me, just an average movie that is worth seeing, but only for a matinee or later via DVD or streaming option. Until then, or even now, those questions I ponder are questions I think appropriate for discussion, so if you see fit, and are willing to discuss respectfully, let's discuss.Romans 13 Contemporary English Version (CEV)
Obey Rulers
13 Obey the rulers who have authority over you. Only God can give authority to anyone, and he puts these rulers in their places of power. 2 People who oppose the authorities are opposing what God has done, and they will be punished. 3 Rulers are a threat to evil people, not to good people. There is no need to be afraid of the authorities. Just do right, and they will praise you for it. 4 After all, they are God’s servants, and it is their duty to help you.
If you do something wrong, you ought to be afraid, because these rulers have the right to punish you. They are God’s servants who punish criminals to show how angry God is. 5 But you should obey the rulers because you know it is the right thing to do, and not just because of God’s anger.6 You must also pay your taxes. The authorities are God’s servants, and it is their duty to take care of these matters. 7 Pay all that you owe, whether it is taxes and fees or respect and honor.
Love
8 Let love be your only debt! If you love others, you have done all that the Law demands. 9 In the Law there are many commands, such as, “Be faithful in marriage. Do not murder. Do not steal. Do not want what belongs to others.” But all of these are summed up in the command that says, “Love others as much as you love yourself.” 10 No one who loves others will harm them. So love is all that the Law demands.The Day When Christ Returns
11 You know what sort of times we live in, and so you should live properly. It is time to wake up. You know that the day when we will be saved is nearer now than when we first put our faith in the Lord. 12 Night is almost over, and day will soon appear. We must stop behaving as people do in the dark and be ready to live in the light. 13 So behave properly, as people do in the day. Don’t go to wild parties or get drunk or be vulgar or indecent. Don’t quarrel or be jealous. 14 Let the Lord Jesus Christ be as near to you as the clothes you wear. Then you won’t try to satisfy your selfish desires.On a scale of 1 - 10 for the average movie it is, I would give a basic C rating, or in a 1 - 10 scale, a rating of 5. So take your chances if you will but in this busy movie season, don't be surprised if you are a little disappointed.
To see the trailer for this movie, just click on the following video, if the video doesn't appear, try the link.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VW0PrPgI8F8
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