12 Rounds (2009)

User Rating:

5.4/10   

Director:

Renny Harlin

Writer (WGA):

Daniel Kunka (written by)

Release Date:

27 March 2009 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Crime | Thriller

Plot:

Detective Danny Fisher discovers his girlfriend has been kidnapped by a ex-con tied to Fisher's past, and he'll have to successfully complete 12 challenges in order to secure her safe release. |

Plot Keywords:

Detective | Fireman | Train | Killed By Car | Explosion

Cast

John Cena	...	Det. Danny Fisher
Aidan Gillen	...	Miles Jackson
Ashley Scott	...	Molly Porter
Steve Harris	...	Special Agent George Aiken
Brian J. White	...	Det. Hank Carver (as Brian White)
Gonzalo Menendez	...	Special Agent Ray Santiago
Taylor Cole	...	Erica Kessen
Kyle Russell Clements	...	Dave Fisher (as Kyle Clements)
Peter Navy Tuiasosopo	...	Willie Dumaine
Travis Davis	...	Anthony Deluso
Nick Gomez	...	Samuel
Brian Stanton	...	FBI Agent Gator (as Brian Decaro)
Rosalind Rubin	...	FBI Agent Sheila
Billy Slaughter	...	Technician
Kim Collins	...	Phil the Plumber

Also Known As:

Twelve Rounds (International: English title)

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for intense sequences of violence and action.

Runtime:

108 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Certification:

USA:PG-13 (certificate #44875) | Australia:M | Singapore:PG | New Zealand:M | South Korea:15 | Finland:K-13 | Philippines:PG-13 (MTRCB) | UK:12A (cut) | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Canada:14A (Alberta/Manitoba/Ontario) | Canada:PG (British Columbia) | Ireland:12A | Mexico:B | Portugal:M/12 | Germany:12 (extreme cut) | Germany:16 | Netherlands:12

Filming Locations:

New Orleans, Louisiana, USA

Company:

Fox Atomic

Trivia:

John Cena is the first WWE wrestler to receive a second role from WWE Films.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Fisher was awoke by the alarm clock, it originally said 4:57 for just a moment. Then when the alarm started to ring at 4:58 which would be unusual in in itself. Moments later he reaches for the alarm to turn it off and it read 4:59. This all took place in less than 10 seconds.

Quotes:

Det. Danny Fisher: I'm training the world's most dominant pug. He's going through a bulking phase.

Movie Connections:

Edited into "WWF Raw Is War: (2009-01-26)" (2009)

Soundtrack:

Feel You

For what it is, it's decently solid.

Yes, I saw this movie. Why? Because it was free. No one expects this to be a groundbreaking action movie that changes the face of the genre. I didn't even expect it to be a decent ripoff. But hey, I had a good time watching this one...it's not going to go down as epic or anything, but it's certainly not the worst product featuring a wrestler in a starring role (Doom, anyone?). This is all well and good, but they should change the title of this film to '12 Rounds of Insanity', because there's no way any of this movie is possible.

That's where the chuckles will begin. The premise of this movie, pretty much 'Saw' crossed with 'Speed', is rather clever - it's the one reason I didn't hate the movie - however, this doesn't change the fact that this is one of the most ridiculous and insane movies of recent memory. I don't mean insane like...cool insane. I mean insane as in that only an insane person could see the events of the film as realistic.

Is Renny Harlin still capable of directing decent action? Sure, as '12 Rounds' doesn't do a bad job supplying some quality stunts and explosions, which, let's face it - is all the audience really wants from this movie. 'Die Hard 2' was a worthy entry in that series (though it may be the most forgettable), but hey, Harlin does pack the movie with enough action and thrills to make it at least somewhat entertaining.

John Cena, as we know, is not an actor...I do not expect him to deliver award worthy work, therefore he does not disappoint. He does have an air of likability about him, but he doesn't have the same level of charisma as most other action stars nowadays. I don't even think he smiles in this movie. Again, is Harlin known for getting great performances? No, so you shouldn't expect anything more. What's kind of sad is that the actors in the movie, the people who actually have that as their first profession, are nothing short of laughable. Ashley Scott in particular was disappointing because of her lack of emotion. Aidan Gillen is a passable villain (though he couldn't have been cheesier if he tried), and is also the character hurt most by the ridiculous events in the script. Brian White as Cena's partner was probably my favorite character and performance in the film.

In short, '12 Rounds' is not a movie that should be taken overly serious. It aims for an audience who expects cool explosions, a fast talking villain, and a ton of action. In that respect, this movie is alright. It's also the first action movie this year that the kids (around 9 or 10 and up) should be okay in, as there's very little language and no sex at all. If you go in with low to modest expectations (or are in the mood for exactly what it promises), '12 Rounds' might just be a decent movie.