Mutiny movie review
Jason Statham is a legitimate genre, and it is high time we embrace the popular internet meme. In every other action film, he plays a stoic savior rescuing people from perilous situations—a formula that works more often than not. Mutiny is essentially The Transporter, except Statham’s character has a deeper emotional backstory and skips the delivery errands to dive straight into full-on action mode. And while the film does not quite achieve the heights of Statham classics such as The Transporter or Crank, it rarely fails to entertain.
The story is rather straightforward and more of a springboard for Statham to kick and punch his way out of trouble while saving lives. The film stars him as Cole Reed, an erstwhile military and law enforcement operative now working as a bouncer for wealthy industrialist Tibu Campallo (Ramon Tikaram). However, the sudden murder of Campallo at the hands of a mysterious force casts doubt over Reed, forcing him to go in search of the answers behind his friend's death.
A large part of Mutiny takes place on a moving vessel. Reed must sneak his way into the ship and crack a shadowy operation within it all while fending off an endless stream of henchmen. Much of the excitement in Mutiny comes from the stunts, especially the close-combat sequences. Cinematographer Brendan Galvin shoots the action with such urgency and astuteness that it makes tension in the hand-to-hand, wall-to-wall combat palpable. And Statham continues to age like fine wine, combining his signature martial arts prowess with a smoldering intensity that makes him instantly compelling.
The best part of the film is a hero elevation sequence detailing the backstory of Reed. Director Jean-François Richet juxtaposes the exposition with the thrillingly visceral visual of Statham making his way up through a pipe within the vessel. It is the sort of fan service that Hollywood does really well, with much subtlety. Elsewhere, the cat and mouse game between the captain of the vessel, Marko Madsen (Roland Moller), and Reed is a delight to behold, especially as it boils down to its denouement. Tensions flare up when Reed and Captain Madsen face-off in the staircases of the ship.
Mutiny does have its fair share of issues, though. The film does not quite make you care for Reed's relationship with Campallo. It suggests that Campallo is as much a friend to Reed as he is some form of father-figure. The film needed more scenes featuring the two together and/or better writing to really register their bond beyond the optics. As a result, the revenge angle becomes virtually immaterial to you as a viewer. Reed cares about finding out who killed his friend and why, but the audience never quite shares his investment. Even the father-son dynamic is there for fan service and adding an extra layer of stoicism to Statham. It provides him with a reason to look grim but not the film with a proper payoff.
That said, these are minor issues in an otherwise solidly made action film with an in-form Jason Statham. The actor often does more than the script to make us root for his character's mission. Thankfully, Jean-François Richet sustains the tension in the combat sequences long enough for the audience to enjoy the ride. After all, it is a Jason Statham movie—a pretty entertaining one at that.