Cinematic Releases: Snitch

Dwayne Johnson leaves behind a slew of over the top blockbusters and festivals of CGI with his latest starring vehicle, Snitch. He also abandons "The Rock" moniker for one of the best films of his career.

Snitch is not only a movie about one man's crusade to free his son from prison, but is a testament to how absolutely skewed the United States federal drug laws actually are. Snitch is not the standard kind of action movie that Johnson normally makes. Instead, it's a dramatic tale of a father's misguided love for his son and the odds he will face to prove himself.

To be quite honest, this is one of the best films he's ever made. While it's not going to win any awards, it's a definite step in the right direction. This is Johnson at his best. He shows a depth of character and skill as an actor that we always knew was there, but he doesn't often show. Snitch doesn't star a snide smirking Johnson but one that has finally turned in to a believable dramatic actor with a sensibility that he normally lacks. Barry Pepper also returns to theaters after a long hiatus with a breakout performance as a federal agent. Pepper was a hot commodity at one point and has been sorely missed at the cineplex. It would be nice to see him continue the trend with more roles like this. Susan Sarandon and Jon Bernthal also star.

Snitch is an involving film that proves that not every action movie needs to move at a frenetic pace. It may take a while to hit a stride but when it does, there is a great payoff and worthwhile conclusion. Snitch is a realistic story of redemption and the bonds of family against adversity. If you're a fan of Johnson and would like to see him out perform anything he's done in the past, check this one out. It's a great advancement from many of the other films he's made and will make you think about our government's extremely harsh drug laws and how the prisons are filled with nonviolent criminals.

Did you notice I never called him The Rock?

-4 out of 5 C.G.