Rating of
2.5/4
Who Wins the War on Drugs?
Chris Kavan - wrote on 06/03/13
When I think of Dwayne Johnson, it's usually all bulging muscles and punching people. What I remember from the Snitch previews - this was built as yet another action movie, but, despite a few decent action sequences, this is really a character-driving film. And, I'm happy to say, Johnson delivers when a role requires emotion rather than just brute force.
The film is directed by Ric Roman Waugh - who is no stranger to the crime/thriller/drama having helmed the 2008 film, Felon. In this case the story is about two sides of the same coin: drug cartels and the danger they represent and the DEA - and the seemingly barbaric tactics they will use to put just about anyone behind bars. In this case, it happens to be Jason Collins - a young man who signs a package from a friend - a big bag of drugs - only to be told that his friend set him up in order to reduce his own drug sentence. This Mandatory Minimum Sentencing law is given a lot of scrutiny - essentially if you are in possession of a large amount of drugs - no matter the circumstances, it's an instant prison sentence... that is unless you happen to know <i>another</i> person you can turn in to reduce your own sentence.
Johnson plays father and construction company owner John Matthews - who has separated from his wife and has a very rocky relationship with his son, especially as he now has his own family. Yet after realizing what has happened, he approaches a cut-throat DA with political aspirations (played with icy precision by Susan Sarandon) - willing to do anything to make a deal after his son refuses to turn on anyone. Luckily one of his newest employees is an ex-con with two prior distribution charges (Jon Bernthal - who I know from his excellent turn on The Walking Dead) and, despite wanting to get out of the game for the good of his own family, still breaks down to help introduce his boss to the business. Posing as a man on the verge of losing everything because of the collapse of the housing market, he approaches local drug lord Malik, with the idea of using his trucks to transport drugs.
Things get much deeper when undercover Agent Cooper (the always solid Barry Pepper) decides that the real target is cartel kingpin El Topo (Benjamin Bratt). But he doesn't think Matthews is cut out for the extremely dangerous mission, but our trusty DA isn't about to let this prize slip through her fingers, thus Matthews puts his own life on the line for his son.
What I like about Snitch is that it really doesn't sugar-coat this world - even the good guys have plenty of flaws, as does the justice system. Johnson, always the big guy punching out everyone else, is reduced to an "everyman" - he still has the muscles, but against cartels and superior numbers, he's just a regular man. Some people may find that jarring, but I found it refreshing. You can't play Superman in every movie - and this shows even the biggest, baddest man in cinema can be brought low when family is on the line. Those expecting an action-packed thrill ride-a-minute based on the trailer may be disappointed, but I think the story is much more interesting than a straight-up action flick.
The biggest flaw of the film is in the pacing. It's not that I was expecting action - but things did tend to drag, especially before Johnson took the big plunge. There are some hard-hitting scenes (though between Johnson and Rafi Gavron, who plays his son) but I admit that amidst all the emotion - I wanted a little more punch. By the time you get to the big semi-chase at the end, it's almost like an after thought - like Waugh just realized he has The Rock and forgot to throw in an actual big action scene. It's obviously a lot more subdued than say Fast Five, but it's still finally an action scene.
Snitch should make you look at Johnson in a different light - I know it made me respect him more as an actor rather than just a large-muscled, catch-phrase spewing pro wrestler. In fact, the entire cast did a great job selling the danger on the world and the story proved that war on drugs may be more dangerous in the legal system than in the trenches. It's a film that deserves a watch.
