Man, why is everyone so down on this one? The first thing we realize is that Sean Penn has the most perfectly chiseled and polished body of any 54 year old in existence. And I do mean that sincerely. I don't even think Brad Pitt is gonna have that body, and those pecks, and those gloriously six packed abs, when he is Sean's age. In spy/espionage movies, there is something that never, ever gets old. And that is the highly trained and skilled super agent working undercover, laying low--waiting--who suddenly needs to kick some serious ass at the right time and place (Kiefer Sutherland in 24, Jason Statham in Homefront, Matt Damon in Bourne). And in this regard, Sean delivers admirably, as good as Statham did in the gas station scene in Homefront (one of my favorite movie scenes of all time). He has the guileless, hapless and social awkwardness when he is not in his element and the ferocious, vicious killer agent when the need arises. And the shocked faces of all who though he was just a normal, run of the mill humanitarian worker? Priceless. This movie does borrow heavily from Bourne, but isn't that a little like saying Dylan borrowed heavily from Guthrie? I mean, the awesomeness produced outweighs the little bit of plagiarism here and there. I say go for it, with little expectations, it's a blast.
Review of The Gunman
