The spies who fell in love — it’s become a classic cinematic trope, and it sums up the backstory of WingsLionsgate’s formulaic new espionage thriller with a good cast. The story’s reminiscent of many films, but it specifically brings to mind the first act of Spy Kids (2001), with the bedtime story Carla Gugino recited to her lovable children. If only Eastwood’s new popcorn flick Wingsdirected by Michael Polish and written by Alexander Vesha, possessed the same sort of charming pizzazz as Robert Rodriguez’s throwback franchise-starter.
Wings has the talent, but maybe a heavier dose of co-star Sylvester Stallone and better use of Strange Darling standout Willa Fitzgerald could have done the trick. Nonetheless, if the pain of reality has you in need of a new distraction with guns ablaze, Wings might be enough to take your mind off things for 90 minutes or so.
Working a Deadly Job…on Vacay
There’s nothing quite like a top-notch spy movieand with Eastwood wielding firearms once again — just like in his last Lionsgate outing, 1992 — the chances are somewhat elevated for a promising end result. It starts with happily married couple Joe (Eastwood) and Laura (Fitzgerald) on a wintry vacation, but it doesn’t feel like The White Lotus. If your screen looks all grayed-out while watching Wingsthat’s a purposeful choice by director Polish to achieve a chilly espionage feel.
Yes, viewers will quickly learn that Laura and Joe are spies on “vacation” under the guise of regular folk. They dine out with another happy couple and spin together stories, having fun fabricating their past and details about each other. For instance, Laura will reveal mid-meal to the opposite couple that “Joe has OCD” just for kicks, and then they’ll just invent their relationship history from there.
But then, of course, terror descends on their overseas resort, far away from their native United States. And don’t you just hate working on vacation? Laura, however, may be three steps ahead of Joe and might have already known about the madness to come — in the form of a villainous international squad led by a suave bilingual head-honcho named Orlin (Marvel’s Luke Cage star Mike Colter).
Mike Colter’s a Good Villain, Sylvester Stallone Is a Fun Surprise
Orlin crashes the party in a spectacular fashion, goons in tow, and seeks a crucial hard drive that may be tied to Joe and Laura after all. Did Laura orchestrate this “vacay” with the ulterior motive of quelling a known villain? She and Joe have been out of the espionage game for five years, apparently — but have they instead left their U.S. employer and joined a new team of rogue spies known as Alarum?
Once news of Orlin’s violent ambush reaches Joe’s former employer, Ronald Burbridge (D.W. Moffett), that means a veteran agent must be contacted to swoop in and save the day. Enter Stallone as Chester, a no-nonsense brute with wise-guy dialogue who hops on a chopper and makes a beeline for the wintry destination to track down Joe and figure out if the Alarum rumors are true. Does he need to link up with the espionage bro to take on Orlin’s artillery-wielding crew, or maybe even eliminate Joe as a potential threat?
More Stallone & Fitzgerald, Please
As Chester, Stallone’s one-liners sound as if the Oscar-nominee perhaps snatched the script on set and rewrote the dialogue himself. His character’s late arrival in the thriller is one thing, but the fact that his Tulsa King-esque banter really only shines in a couple scenes is simply tragic. One highlight comes when Chester finally connects with Eastwood’s Joe, and Chester grabs the vodka bottle in Joe’s hotel room within the resort-under-fire. Joe asks, “You’re really gonna drink before a shootout?” Chester quips, “I can’t think of a better time to drink.”
Plus, Marvel fans loved co-star Colter as Luke Cage from his hit Netflix series and might enjoy the former superhero don a European accent in Wings. He’s a fun villain, though it all gets overshadowed by a muddled plot that constantly gets bogged down by perplexing double-crossings, mysterious ulterior motives, and more.
Then there’s Fitzgerald, fresh off her incredible turn in the recent gem Strange Darling. Fans of that excellent thriller will be disappointed by her lack of screentime here. Sure, she and Eastwood are certainly on-screen whizzes at wielding any number of sexy, high-powered weaponry across the tight duration of Wingsbut by the time the credits roll, you might find yourself trying to shake the feeling that these four talented stars deserved a juicier and more upbeat script for the next go around.
From Lionsgate, Wings will be released in theaters, on demand, and on digital January 17.
Source link
#Alarum #Review #Sylvester #Stallone #Enlivens #Dreary #Spy #Thriller
