...in the past few years, a most unique and unconventional phenomenon, akin to recent genre films, has taken...and continues to take place: the acquisition and production of feature films, based upon much more obscure graphic comic book properties, which are considerably lesser-known by the general public, and which go against the grain, as far as typical conventions and standards, normally expected by the devoted masses, in films like these. Coming in below the radar, just beneath the surface, and sometimes, breezing in and out of attention, like a whiff...overshadowed by comic book-themed juggernauts, featuring overly familiar bat-men, spider-men, men of steel and mutants...are the oddities...the curiosities...the misfits, which under the deftly welded hands of writers, producers and directors, have wrought...give or take, the occasional schlocky clunker or two...some rather interesting, embraceable and quite entertaining results. In some cases, wildly imaginative and eclectically conceived...never mind, the now-popular, unconventional staples of "Men in Black" and "Kick-Ass"...we're talking more the blood-spattering, barbarous exploits of "Solomon Kane"...the well-armed, hyperkinetic retirees of "RED"...the supernaturally-driven, humanity-devoted sleuthing of "Dylan Dog" and "R.I.P.D."...these comic book genre 'oddballs' are out to prove that they can garnish a life, and a foothold on the genre, as equally capable as those of the high-flying, dark-cowled, web-spinning, razor-clawed variety. And so, getting much more down to earth...kicking up the dust, with all barrels a-blazin', and verbal quips a-spewin'...with the riotously rollicking force of a Michael Bay/Bruckheimer actioner (...which, in a good number of ways, it resembles), we have the 'new kid on the block' as far as tapping into that obscure graphic comic book well; flying off the drawn & paneled pages, and onto the screen...with dynamically explosive results, no less...it's "2 Guns"...
...maverick criminal 'heisters' Stigman (Mark Wahlberg) and Trench (Denzel Washington) are in the throes of a dilemma; after a planned and covert rendezvous with known drug lord, Papi Greco (Edward James Olmos), doesn't exactly go according to plan, they are arrested and interrogated, over specifics regarding their meeting with the more-than-suspicious Greco. Unbeknownst to Stigman, it turns out that Trench is actually an undercover DEA agent, who had planned on catching Greco in the act, engaging a drug deal with him. Having failed that, a recent lead has suggested that Greco is laundering a great deal of money...like, in excess of $3 million...through safe deposit boxes at a local saving and loan facility. Altering the heist plans, in an effort to instead prosecute Greco for money laundering, Trench coerces Stigman in helping him to rob the banking facility; however, in the midst of the theft, both Stigman and Trench are quite taken aback, when they realize that there's a lot more than a mere $3 million...say, more like $43 million...
...having escaped to the desert, to ponder upon their next move, as well as wonder what bigger and badder things are in store for them, seeing that they heisted such a large amount of money. On the cusp of revealing himself to Stigman, Trench is taken aback, when he is shot in the leg by his so-called 'partner in crime', who takes off in their vehicle, containing the money...now even more worried, in his suspicions that Trench might be some kind of law enforcement agent. At this time, we find out that Stigman himself, has identity secrets of his own...being that he is actually an undercover Naval Intelligence officer, engaged in the acquisition of stolen, albeit unaccountable and untraceable monies, for the purpose of financing covert military operations. Reporting to his superiors, releasing custody of the money, as well as expressing his suspicions, with regards to the operation's recent turn of events, Stigman is taken aback in being ordered to go back out to the field, and eliminate the loose end, Trench. Far from being amiable to that plan, Stigman instead goes on the run...himself, now targeted...
...in the meantime, Trench, having somewhat recovered from his wound, and now also on the run, proceeds to check in with his own superior, in the midst of what has transpired, thus far. He is abruptly intercepted by a sadistic game-playing gunman, Earl (Bill Paxton), who sets Trench up for the murder of his boss...whom he has just killed...and adamantly tells Trench that he has 48 hours to return the stolen money. Juxstapositioned plans, at a fateful moment, give way for the estranged Trench and Stigman to not only reveal their true identities to each other, but also, to gainfully abduct a most uncooperative Greco, in an effort of coerce the 'big picture' plan from him. But what is this master plan?? What is the deal with the almost ungodly amount of money?? Who exactly is Earl, and what is his part in these heinous proceedings?? And now, being left hanging in the wind, with no one having their backs, except for each other, will Trench and Stigman emerge from these cross-treacherous criminal affairs, alive and relatively unscathed...if only to face each other's spiteful and nagging wrath??...
...now, for this seasoned viewer, while engaging this amusing little actioner, a check and re-check of the film's credits seemed to be in order. After all, the elements were all there...the amiable, though sometimes estranged and doubting partnership...the heist, within a heist...the ensuing cross, criss-cross and double-cross...the sadistic, albeit amusingly trivial villainy...the beautiful and sexy femme fatale, playing both sides...the muscle cars...the explosions...the snappy dialogue and wise-cracks...man, it's all so familiar and formulaic. Checking...checking...nope, name's not there...watching...checking again...checking...well, how about that?? Michael Bay's, Jerry Bruckheimer's, Tony Scott's, nor Shane Black's name is nowhere to be seen, in the credits. Just director Baltasar Kormakur, who having worked with actor Mark Wahlberg previously, in the the ill-received 2012 crime thriller, "Contraband", clearly embraces here, the style and flavor of film, engaged by the best of Bay and Bruckheimer. And if equal embrace of "2 Guns" by it's intended audience, was solely dependent upon that emulated style and flavor...this quirky film, more than likely, may well have been left forgettably abandoned, by the wayside, upon it's initial release...
...however, it seems that all is not lost, when an engaging cast able-bodiedly adorns themselves with such contrived, 'been there, done that' material, and quite literally makes it their own. As Trench, actor Denzel Washington affords us his usual...and likable...hip, cool, motivated & calculated persona...a bit reckless, though improvisational...clearly unfazed at any situation he finds himself...no matter how adverse. And Mark Wahlberg, as the affable Stigman, perfectly volleys Denzel's character, with his own character of intrigue and likability...a performance, equally hip, cool, reckless and resourceful...a bit naive and blind, in a righteous sort of way...but with a swaggeringly strut and smart-aleckness, which invokes some rather riotous comedy relief moments, in these proceedings. In villainous contrast, Edward James Olmos' drug-lord 'Greco' character seems somewhat restrained and stereotypical, as compared to Bill Paxton's much more standout 'bad guy' role...deliciously diabolical and sadistic, in his performance as Earl, the devious and deadly 'joker in the deck', in this crime caper. Appearances by James Marsden and Fred Ward, as Stigman's military higher ups, are notable, supportive and intriguing, though fleeting...the former, Quince, clearly up to something more than he's willing to reveal...and the latter, a base commander, who seems to be quite aware as to what's going on, but as long as the cogs and wheels turn without incident, who is he to upset the proceedings...even if he has to sternly and regulatively, albeit reluctantly refuse help to desperate subordinate Stigman, as sympathetic as he might be??
...in total, an overall explosive and kick-ass actioner...though clearly made so, by the standout & engagingly interactive performances, and the dynamics & charisma of the cast; if it wasn't for that, this contrived actioner'd be pretty much a shoulder-shrugging case of 'been there, done that'...
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