It Came From The Cineplex: Homefront

Homefront is a new action film directed by Gary Fleder and written by Sylvester Stallone (!).

Based on a novel by Chuck Logan, the film was originally written as a vehicle for Sly many years ago, but he never got around to filming it. Looks like he dusted it off and rewrote it for Jason Statham.

This movie cost an estimated $70 million dollars and so far has grossed around $9 million. I am at a loss to understand how the hell it cost $70 million to make a movie as unremarkable looking as this one. I can only assume the bulk of the budget went toward cast salaries?

Kate Bosworth plays a very convincing redneck meth-head hillbilly mother. She does such a good job that I didn't even recognize her as Lois Lane from 2006's Superman Returns.

SPOILERS, I SUPPOSE...

The Plot:
Pretty standard stuff. An ex DEA agent named Phil Broker (Jason Statham) retires and starts a new life a sleepy town in Louisiana with his young daughter. Unfortunately he soon crosses paths with a local meth kingpin and a biker gang bent on revenge, who threaten him and his daughter.

Pros:
• As always, Jason Statham delivers some great action scenes. Other than that I got nothing.

Cons:
• I generally like James Franco as an actor, but I didn't for a minute buy him as a badass ruthless meth overlord. To make it even worse, we're expected to believe his character's name is "Gator" Bodine! He pronounces it "Bo-dyne" though instead of "Bo-deen," but still... there's no way audiences can hear that name and not think of Jethro.

• At one point Gator breaks into Broker's house and finds a file containing every possible bit of info pertaining to his DEA days. 

First of all, what kind of moron would keep such sensitive files in an easily accessible place in their home? Broker knows there's a drug lord out there that he sent to prison who would love nothing more than to see him dead, so it seems like he might want to hide his files a bit better.

And why does he even have the files in the first place, other than so Gator can find them and realize who he is?

Second, the files contain references to Broker being a former member of Interpol. Is that even possible? Can a foreign police agent join an American law enforcement agency? I admit I have no idea. 

I'm betting the whole Interpol thing was added because Jason Statham must not be able to do a convincing American accent, and they needed to explain why he sounded like a Brit.

A by-the-numbers action thriller with a terribly miscast villain. I give it a C+.