The Contractor Review: Chris Pine Shines In Uneven Black Ops Action Thriller
Reuniting with his Hell or High Water co-star Ben Foster, Chris Pine leads a solid action thriller about the shadowy underbelly of serving one’s country. The Contractoraims to tell the story of one man's desperate attempts to do right by his family after being failed by the inept institutions that supposedly lookout for veterans. Just as Hell or High Water was a searing look at the governmental and institutional failures that lead people to desperate measures, The Contractor provides a similar tale that shines a glaring light on the un-patriotic nature of military service. However, while this film touts the leads of Hell or High Water, it doesn't come close to being as well-executed and is not as generous with its character development.
The Contractor, previously called Violence of Action, is — on paper — a Liam Neeson film. The title is even reminiscent of the recent string of action thrillers Neeson has starred in, where he plays a man with a particular set of skills who has been wronged and is out for blood. However, Pine is a damn good leading man who provides his rather lazily drawn character depth and nuance. Much has been said about the man’s dazzling blue eyes, but there is a great deal of talent there that gives us a deeper understanding of his character's pathos.
Related: The Contractor Trailer Sees Chris Pine On The Run From Shadowy Forces
The Contractor follows James (Pine), a medical sergeant who, after many efforts to be deployed again after a knee injury, is dishonorably discharged. With little work to be found and a pile of bills, he turns to his army buddy, Mike (Foster), for help. Mike introduces James to a black ops team that specializes in super shady operations that are supposedly sanctioned by the
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