“Kandahar,” starring Gerard Butler, is the kind of textureless motion thriller that sounds prefer it’s been musically scored by a subwoofer.
The bass by no means stops booming as grizzled males frown and gravely whisper about issues of the utmost seriousness, and a easy race-against-time story is tied into impossibly complicated knots.
Working time: 120 minutes. <br>Rated R (violence and language). In theaters.
Director Ric Roman Waugh’s drab movie fumbles and grumbles by Iran, the United Arab Emirates and finally Afghanistan because the hunt for CIA agent Tom Harris (Butler) intensifies.
“Kandahar,” to its credit score, aspires to be deep.
Geopolitics come up, as does the Taliban’s mangled interpretation of the Quran, together with ISIS and different aftershocks of American wars within the Center East.
Actually, although, it’s simply one other tiresome and impenetrably brooding Gerard Butler film through which no occasion appears to matter any greater than the following one — and grimaces are mistaken for drama.
Earlier than ho-hum Harris goes on the run, he’s posing as a utility employee in Iran whereas making an attempt to destroy a nuclear plant.
Harmful job accomplished, he’s a day away from flying residence to attend his daughter’s commencement in London, when his identification is revealed — due to an intelligence leak to a journalist.
That reporter is violently captured by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard in her resort room, after which — in a transfer that foreshadows the shoddy character improvement all through — we get to know subsequent to nothing about her.
In Dubai, Harris is instructed by his handler (Travis Fimmel) that he shall be extracted by airplane in Kandahar, Afghanistan, together with native translator Mo (Navid Negahban).
The duo sprint by the desert, pursued by Afghan Particular Forces and a motorcycle-riding murderer named Kahil (Ali Fazal).
Lots of the pointed criticisms of the Taliban and terrorist organizations are voiced by Kahil, which is a head-scratching perform for a mercenary killer to play.
Butler, all of the whereas, as typical speaks from the again of his throat and furrows his forehead — his unique expression.
The actor’s constant, quiet machismo will be spot-on when put to work in the suitable tasks, such because the campy and centered “Greenland,” additionally directed by Waugh.
Right here, nevertheless, it’s a downer atop a downer.
The finale of “Kandahar” incorporates a huge explosion. Destruction junkies, don’t be mislead — the impact of that ending and of your complete movie is that of a puff of smoke.
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