The Losers

Welcome to another episode of The "D" List.

Today's review is The Losers. Directed by Sylvain White. Written by Peter Berg & James Vanderbilt. Based on the graphic novel The Losers written by Andy Diggle.

Rated PG-13 for sequences of intense action and violence, a scene of sensuality and language.

Cast

Clay - Jeffery Dean Morgan

Aisha - Zoe Saldana

Jensen - Chris Evans

Roque - Idris Elba

Pooch - Columbus Short   

Cougar - Óscar Jaenada

Max - Jason Patric


This summer like every summer is jam packed with rock 'em sock 'em action films. 2010 however is gracing us with quite a few military action films. The A-Team, The Expendables and here with The Losers. This one is another comic adaptation coming off the heels of a very disappointing Kick Ass box office wise at least.

The premise of this explosion-fest is based on an elite group of soldiers called The Losers. They're led by Clay played by Jeffery Dean Morgan. Each man on the team has their own skill set that makes them unique to the team and makes the team a cohesive unit. Jensen played by Chris Evans (A.K.A the future Captain America in the upcoming 2011 Marvel film) is the communications and tech support guy. Pooch played by Columbus Short is the demolition weapons expert. Cougar played by a very cool and mostly silent Oscar Jaenada is the special forces sniper/sharpshooter and finally Roque played by Idris Elba is a close combat and knives expert.

After completing a mission in Bolivia that had some "small" issues along the way, they are betrayed and framed by their handler Max played by Jason Patric. Thought to be left for dead, the losers scatter all over Bolivia in hiding while they plan their next move. Along comes Aisha played by Zoe Saldana. She presents the losers with an opportunity to return home to the states, kill Max and clear their names of the crimes they were framed for in Bolivia.

Seeing this film after Kick Ass was an educational experience. Kick Ass and The Losers taught me the difference between a film that takes itself too seriously and a stupid film that's meant to be stupid and let me be very clear here people, The Losers is a STUPID film. But it was a fun stupid film. The script wreaks of cheese and corny dialogue that I wondered if there was a script at all. This movie pulls no punches (no pun intended) when it comes to the overdone and absolutely absurd expositional dialogue. Example, after the chopper that was supposed to pick them up is destroyed by jet fighters the camera cuts to a close up of Clay and he says with a look of shock........."That was supposed to be us." DUH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Who else did you think they were targeting? Once again this bears repeating, the movie is FULL of moments like this which can only mean 1 of 2 things.

1) The movie was intended to be idiot proof. No tightly written, plot moving, thought provoking dialogue. Just enough yapping and lip flapping to pace us between the bullets and booms. In other words, we are ALL MORONS that can't follow a story.

2) This is exactly how the comic book reads and they chose to follow the source material to the letter.

I am inclined to believe that there is a hybrid of both thoughts and it's that combination that allows the movies to succeed and fail.

The Action here is supersized, over the top and stylish. Normally I would scoff at it but you get the feel from the 1st frame that that was how it was meant to look. You combine that with a 2 year old's drivel laden screenplay and you got another failed comic book adaptation.

On the 5 star scale. The Losers gets .5 star with a split "Netflix it/Save The Loot" recommendation.

I will give The Losers credit though. It doesn't pretend to be something it's not. The problem is that it's just a bad silly movie.

That's all for today. Up next is Iron Man 2.

Until Next Episode......."I'll Save You A Seat!"

"D"