.
.
More and more it seems that Hollywood wants to embrace the ‘cool nerd’ that has become the comic book flick. What was once a yearly event has become a seemingly weekly assault on the senses. We have film after film made from comic books, from the biggest names in Marvel history to some of the smallest specialty comics. The two mediums seem to easily translate, sharing some of the same story elements and narrative devices. This idea brings us to the latest DC comic book adaptation The Losers.
Based on the Vertigo comic, the flick is about a group of five Special Ops-style veterans who are sent to stop some bad guys in Bolivia. Once there, they discover that the compound has children who are being used as drug mules. Not wanting to spill innocent life, Clay (Jeffery Dean Morgan) tells his team that they are going into the compound to save the kids before the US drops some major fire power from the air. The group consists of Pooch (Columbus Short), Roque (Idris Elba), Jenson (Chris Evans) and Cougar (Oscar Jaenada). The writers give each one of them a little shorthand quirky element to distinguish each character as a separate individual.
The team is ordered by rogue CIA agent Max (Jason Patric) not to go in and let the kids perish. After they disobey orders and save the kids, a helicopter is sent to extract them. Realizing that everyone cannot fit into the copter, the guys opt for the kids to take the first ride out. The transport is hit by the same plane, destroying everything and everyone inside. They guys take off their dog tags, throwing them into the fiery wreckage, faking their deaths and hiding from the outside world.
As they plot their next move, Clay is noticed by Aisha (Zoe Saldana). It seems that she has figured out that the team is not dead and wants revenge against Max. The guys just want to clear their names and get back to their normal lives. But, they do not trust Aisha. Figuring that the enemy of my enemy is my friend, the six decide to join forces to take down Max and stop his evil plans. First they must sneak back into the U.S., under the wire and without sending up any red flags to Max. They must also figure out what Max is planning and how to stop his plans of global chaos. The story of The Losers is of revenge and making the world right… and looking great while doing it.
Director Sylvain White keeps the pace going all while weaving and bobbing through action sequence after action sequence. Though the story does seem to jump from locale to locale, it never misses an action beat. While at times it feels like Sylvain is bowing at the feet of Quentin Tarantino, there is some original flair with his camera placement. He does a solid job of telling the tale while stamping some over-the-top touches. It is the second unit work that overshadows the principal photography.
Of the five mercenaries, the coolest one has to be Cougar (Oscar Jaenada). With a calm swagger and always present hat, he just oozes all that is bad ass in a supporting character. He has the fewest lines of the principals, but he makes the most of his stare. As much as I liked the performance of Zoe Saldana as Aisha, it becomes a real stretch that such a petite flower of a woman could exhibit so much muscle.
It is Jason Patric as Max who just steals every scene he is in. With his psychotic evil attack he just chews up every beat. He gets the lion’s share of laughs while all the time never coming across as a parody performance. He delivers flippant comments and great one liners all the time staying in his crazed character. In a word, it is just a cool performance.
Jeffery Dean Morgan could be a double for Robert Downey Jr. They carry all the same mannerisms and acting ticks. He carries the burden of his life more on his sleeve than in his heart, but does so with a certain rogue charm.
The Losers is not a great bit of cinema, but it is one heck of a fun popcorn-chewing flick. It has all the elements of a summer blockbuster while nestled in the spring. It is just a simple, great time at the movies.
