This Review Reveals Minor Details About the Plot.
Friendly Fire
Plot Overview
Fed-up lawyer Mason Pettits (John Cena) decides to be all he can
be. He enlists in the army and is qualified for special forces. On
assignment to take out President Juan Arturo Venegas (Juan Pablo Raba,)
dictator of Palona, their bird gets shot down, half the crew is killed,
and Mason receives a medical discharge. He returns to soul-sucking
lawyering and settles down in suburbia with a pretty wife Jenny (Alice
Eve) and an eight-year-old daughter.
When President Arturo Venegas decides
to break his media silence, he has a friend from Oxford University
recommend yellow journalist Claire Wellington (Alison Brie) to
do the interview. She in turn enlists Contracted Defense Initiative
(CDI) to
provide a Personal Protective Detail. CDI's head Sebastian Earl contacts his old army
friend Mason and offers him $20K for this one-off. Needing the money
Mason reluctantly accepts amidst protests from his wife that that
part of his life is over. Well, not quite, it turns out, as there's
a hostile takeover (“coup d'etat”) in process. He
phones home via satellite to say he'll be back as soon as he can break
away from the negotiations (“sh!t storm.”)
Ideology
Palona is rich in lathinites, minerals needed to run modern electronics.
Some international money interests have engaged South African
mercenaries to topple the government and install the current dictator's
nephew Hore who will allow them free rein to exploit the minerals
and the people. The new government's idea of fairness will be along
the lines of author George Cable's saying, “the marble halls
where justice dreamt she dwelt” (11). The current, much maligned,
dictator by contrast has a higher frame of reference: he crosses
himself, is seen in church, and is an Oxford grad. He has a mind to help the people and
is prepared to make a difference despite heavy opposition and attempts
on his life. In a word, (Prov. 28:5)
“Evil men understand not judgment: but they that seek the
LORD understand all things.”
There's an interlude in this action-packed movie to watch a man review his darling little girl's ballet routine. She's flawless having mastered it through training and discipline. Likewise, it takes no great leap of the imagination to conclude our consummate man-of-the-people maintains his shaky position through the rigorous training and discipline of his Jesuit upbringing.
Production Values
“” (2023) was directed by Pierre Morel. It was written by Jacob Lentz. It stars Alison Brie, Juan Pablo Raba, and John Cena. They all delivered their lines with aplomb and took their lumps in stride.
MPAA rated it R for violence and language. The humor was continual and engaging. The action was relentless. The two dovetailed nicely with each other. The photography was creative. The jungle forest was lush. Army basic training was iconic brutality. Lawyering was the pits. The women were hot. The dictator was suave. The GI was hung. The movie had something for everybody. Runtime is 1 hour 49 minutes.
Review Conclusion w/a Christian's Recommendation
Here is a worthy example of a leader with tacit Christian values who does good to the people. It's comedic as well as tense. You'll get your money's worth.
Movie Ratings
Action factor: Edge of your seat action-packed fun. Suitability For Children: Not Suitable for Children of Any Age. Special effects: Well done special effects. Video Occasion: Fit For a Friday Evening. Suspense: Keeps you on the edge of your seat. Overall movie rating: Four stars out of five.
Works Cited
Scripture taken from the King James Version. Pub. 1611, rev. 1769. Software.
Cable, George W. The Flower of the Chapdelaines. Copyright, 1918, by Charles Scribner's Sons. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1918. Print.
bibles.n7nz.org