12 Rounds

May 29 2009 by The Journal

landscape: 12 rounds (PA: DO NOT REUSE)

CINEMA audiences will forgive an inherently stupid action film almost anything, providing it is entertaining.

In Speed, an explosive-laden bus defied the laws of gravity to leap across a 50-foot gap in an elevated highway - impossible, yet exhilarating.

In Independence Day, an invading alien race, far more advanced than our own, was thwarted by a computer virus uploaded from the hero’s laptop - laughable, yet crowd-pleasing.

12 Rounds, the latest overblown adrenaline rush from director Renny Harlin (Die Hard 2, Cliffhanger), would be afforded the same leniency if it didn’t take itself so seriously.

Certainly, it doesn’t help that the hulking lead star is better known for his acrobatics in the WWE wrestling ring and delivers lines in monotone as if he is reading off prompt cards.

But the film carries on regardless, pitting a cop against a mad man in a series of preposterous challenges.

If only it winked at the audience just once to let us know it is in on the joke.

New Orleans police officer Danny Fisher (John Cena) and partner Hank Carver (Brian White) are involved in the FBI stakeout of psychopath Miles Jackson (Aidan Gillen).

Danny apprehends Miles but is inadvertently responsible for the death of the suspect’s girlfriend and accomplice. One year on, Miles breaks out of jail to wreak revenge, kidnapping Danny’s girlfriend Molly.

To save her, the cop must undertake a series of games against the clock. With his partner’s back-up, he’s compelled to break the law to keep Molly alive.

The film is a series of accomplished action set-pieces flimsily glued together by the battle of dull wits between Danny and Miles.

Most stunts are second-hand: a tram sequence and an escape from a plummeting elevator car both conjure fonder memories of Speed.

Cena looks like he can handle himself in a brawl, but he grapples unconvincingly with the limp dialogue, while Gillen thankfully tries to inject his villain with a modicum of theatricality.