Assassin’s Game is the rare “gem” of a film with a once respectable actor headlining relegated to a caricature and starring another who should remain way behind the camera. This is an all around poorly made movie and one can’t just blame the budget because I have seen many low budget movies that weren’t half bad. This one, however, isn’t even deserving of being in Wal-Mart’s bargain bin.
Assassin’s Game
(2015)
Genre(s): Action
Lionsgate | R – 83 min. – $19.98 | May 26, 2015
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MOVIE INFO: Directed by: Anoop Rangi Writer(s): None Credited Cast: Tom Sizemore, Vivica A. Fox, Bai Ling, Mark Mikita DISC INFO: Audio: English (Dolby Digital 5.1) |
** Click Here to Purchase Assassin’s Game on DVD from Amazon.com **
THE MOVIE – ZERO/5
Assassin’s Game, originally titled Terms & Conditions, is an all around awful movie. I can honestly say there isn’t a single good thing about this train wreck. The editing, acting, writing, fights, sound and direction are all awful and while it is an indie flick, that’s no excuse and it’s easy to see why this didn’t even have a credited writer, who probably went into Witness Protection. I know I would.
The story is simple enough: three would-be assassins – Junior (VINCENT MENTRY), Ruby (MELISSA MARS) and Mack (OMARI WASHINGTON) – screw up the assassination of a woman merely credited as “The Target” (VIVICA A. FOX), protected by a crew including “The Bodyguard” (BAI LING). The Target and Bodyguard manage to get away. Their employer, El Viego (TOM SIZEMORE) is none too pleased and refuses their offer to make it right, so he calls in bad ass retired assassin Vet Jones (MARK MIKITA) who, after Junior’s, his son, life is threaten accepts the job.
But good old Vet, who is trying to amend for his bloody past by working as a janitor, is not going to go along with the plan and, after dispensing of the two chaperones El Viego sent to keep an eye on Vet and the other three, decides he’s not going to kill this woman and instead will do everything to protect her. See the irony? The original three are now going to save her from the onslaught of gun-toting thugs sent to kill the Target as well as Vet and crew. In between the incessant gunfights, with VFX muzzle flash, you get so much annoying bickering between Junior and his girl Ruby, Junior and his absentee father, El Viego aiming his silver plated gun at nothing, and other dumb ass character “traits”.
Yeah, this movie stunk. Even when you take into consideration its limited (maybe even non-existent) budget. The acting was terrible from Mark Mikita making his “acting” debut following a short career in stunt work on a variety of projects including In the Name of the King 2. There’s a reason he should stay behind the camera. However, it’s not as if the others were any better, even so-called professionals like a Vivica A. Fox, Bai Ling and the aforementioned Tom Sizemore who clearly needed to pay his taxes or something.
Assassin’s Game was directed by Anoop Rangi who also produced and I suspect also wrote it…
SPECIAL FEATURES – 1.0/5
This comes with a set of Deleted Scenes (10:23), the Trailer (1:31) and a redemption code for the Digital Copy.
VIDEO – 2.5/5 | AUDIO 2.5/5
Assassin’s Game arrives on DVD through Lionsgate (thanks a lot!) presented with a 1.85 anamorphic widescreen aspect ratio and not overly surprising, but most of the movie appears washed out and has a fair amount of aliasing.
The Dolby Digital 5.1 track sounds off thanks in large part to the poor on-location recordings where dialogue can be muffled and in the final scene, you can distinctly hear the ADR work done in a cheap studio with some static accompanying Sizemore’s lines, not that it matters what was being said.
OVERALL – ZERO/5
Overall, Assassin’s Game is the rare “gem” of a film with a once respectable actor headlining relegated to a caricature and starring another who should remain way behind the camera. This is an all around poorly made movie and one can’t just blame the budget because I have seen many low budget movies that weren’t half bad. This one, however, isn’t even deserving of being in Wal-Mart’s bargain bin.
Published: 06/03/2015
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