Hollywood’s Big Boys came out to play in the action-genre movie The Criminal. After playing the snarky superhero Deadpool, Ryan Reynolds takes on a more clean-cut character as he plays top CIA agent Bill Pope, who was on an important mission before he was killed. In order to extract vital information, his memories, skills, and training were transplanted into hardened criminal Jericho Stewart’s (Kevin Costner) brain. The procedure was performed by a neuroscientist (Tommy Lee Jones) under the orders and close monitoring of the CIA chief (Gary Oldman).
What they didn’t count on was that Stewart was also able to absorb the other aspects of Pope’s memories, particularly his love for family and an overwhelming sense of responsibility. The fallen agent’s wife, Jill Pope (Gal Gadot) helps convince him of his purpose. For the first time in his life, the criminal was able to clearly distinguish right from wrong and sets about to save the world.
The criminal becomes the hunted yet again, but this time he is on the side of the law. The mission is in the memories and every memory holds a clue. He has 48 hours to find a valuable CIA asset called The Dutchman in order to foil an international terrorist’s plans.
Aside from the intriguing premise, The Criminal movie is jam-packed with enough action scenes, explosions, and car chases to satisfy the hardcore action-genre fan. What is likewise interesting to note is that this is the second collaboration of top-draw film stars Kevin Costner, Gary Oldman and Tommy Lee Jones following the 1991 thought-provoking film JFK.
The explosive movie is directed by Ariel Vromen, whose previous work on a serial killer called The Iceman garnered notice at the 69th Venice Film Festival and was released worldwide in 2013. Producer Chris Bender of the American Pie and The Hangover Series is also involved in the project.
The Criminal opens in Philippine theaters on April 13, 2016 and is released locally by OctoArts Films International.
