Countdown is your typical WWE production with shoddy acting, bad writing and pedestrian direction though on the plus side, at least Ziggler possesses some charisma which was often lacking in these other films. Still, as poorly made as the film was, it’s at least watchable and there’s at least one well done scene, so… there is that.
Countdown
(2016)
Genre(s): Action, Thriller
Lionsgate | R – 90 min. – $19.98 | April 5, 2016
Date Published: 04/23/2016 | Author: The Movieman
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THE MOVIE – 2.75/5 |
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Plot Synopsis: Review:
The acting, as one would expect, isn’t anything noteworthy and often times can be downright cringe-worthy. For what’s its worth, Dolph Ziggler has more charisma compared with WWE colleague Dean Ambrose but considering Ambrose had the personality of cardboard, that’s really not saying a whole lot. Not that Ziggler, or his co-star Katharine Isabelle, whom I’m a fan of even in the not-so-lauded 88, had much to work with from a screenplay. Kane also has a small role and a hilarious “fight” with Ziggler that was only thrown in there because it’s a WWE Studio production. Written by Richard Wenk, who was one of two of the writers of last year’s The Equalizer though that film’s success laid directly on Denzel Washington’s acting and Antoine Fuqua’s direction than anything with the screenplay. Here, it’s more-or-less a paint-by-numbers plot, with some OK deviations here and there, with no real surprises and half-baked stunts and fights (not to mention a quasi car chase where they merely sped up the film to make it look like they were going faster than they were).
Countdown was helmed by director John Stockwell who might not be a recognizable name yet has a relatively extensive career that includes Crazy/Beautiful, Into the Blue, Cat Run and Dark Tide plus Kickboxer: Vengeance set for release later this year. Although this film isn’t very good, it is at least passable entertainment and compared to other DTV films, is I suppose above average… |
SPECIAL FEATURES – 1.25/5 |
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This release comes with a semi-reflective and glossy slip cover. Inside is a Digital Copy code. Dolph Ziggler: From Superstar to Action Star (4:57) – This is a short featurette and profile on WWE star Ziggler and his transition to acting for Countdown. An Explosive Escape (5:14) covers the car chase sequence toward the end. Previews – The Condemned 2, The Condemned, 12 Rounds 3: Lockdown, Chain of Command |
VIDEO – 4.0/5 | AUDIO – 3.25/5
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Countdown is presented with a 2.40 anamorphic widescreen aspect ratio which looks good with bright colors and OK detail for DVD. The Dolby Digital 5.1 track offers good dialogue levels while the soundtrack/score gives it some decent depth. |
OVERALL – 2.5/5 |
| Overall, Countdown is your typical WWE production with shoddy acting, bad writing and pedestrian direction though on the plus side, at least Ziggler possesses some charisma which was often lacking in these other films. Still, as poorly made as the film was, it’s at least watchable and there’s at least one well done scene, so… there is that. |