Contraband
Finding originality in Hollywood is as difficult as finding a needle in a haystack these days. When they run out of ideas for comic-book adaptions, sequels and prequels, they tend to love remaking Asian and European films and often with bad results. "Contraband" is a remake of the Icelandic film "Reykjavik-Rotterdam". Another connection between the two films is that the director of "Contraband", Baltasar Kórmakur, played the leading role in "Reykjavik-Rotterdam". I haven't seen the Icelandic original, so I can't say how it compares, but as an action film on its own, "Contraband" is fun while it lasts. It's an okay film, but hardly anything you haven't seen before. If you want to see a better film Kórmakur has directed, then check out "Jar City" (aka "Mýrin") instead. (6 out of 10)
Saw that one in the theater back in January and thought it was a fairly intriguing and well-made, but far from original. Agree 100% with you on this one.
SvarSletThis was a step in the right director for Kórmakur, when I think about his previous film "Inhale", but they tell me Kórmakur has pretty much only made better films in the past. Personally, I love "Mýrin", which is a crime-thriller.
SvarSlet