As of late, most action movies have become stagnant fare with little to no redeeming quality whatsoever. Fortunately for us, Contraband does not fall in to that same heap of redundancy that we've been served up lately. There is enough here to give Contraband a positive review and even a mild suggestion as a rental.We all know that Mark Wahlberg has rapidly become a blatant caricature of himself with the same role played over and over again in every movie he makes. He doesn't really break out of that consistency with Contraband. But, the ever so beautiful Kate Beckinsale truly saves this movie with her established dramatic skill. Ben Foster and Giovanni Ribisi also lend a hand in making this a more formidable genre entry.
While the story seems quite familiar, there are some unexpected twists and turns that make Contraband a worthwhile piece of entertainment. I watched the movie with some mild hesitation but came out liking the final product. It's not award winning cinema, but is an entertaining action thriller that keeps it's head well above the failings of other current action films. Watch it.
Contraband will be available on blu ray this coming Tuesday.