One Minute Movie Review: Get the Gringo

Adrian Grunberg (Traffic, Apocalypto, Man on Fire, and Edge of Darkness) brings us Payback goes south of the border. This ultra gritty, ultra violent flick tries to do too much, and it is painfully evident. Mel Gibson essentially regurgitates his Porter role minus the finesse, humor, and charisma. The story line is somewhat engaging, but the grimy feel of the so called prison setting and the manifestly corrupt and mostly unredeemable characters overwhelm it. There is a definitive sense of natural interaction between players which is a plus, but the plot limps along so badly in the beginning that any interest as it progresses wains quickly, and when it finally reaches a sense of action and urgency you find yourself almost entirely bored and hoping for it the credits to roll. The ending is too clean especially with the obvious attempt to maintain a dark edge throughout the movie. 2 out of 5 Kernels: this is not Gibson's best, even though it does shine far above his recent string of personal fails.