Gunner (Luke Hemsworth) hasn't been a good fater to his sons Travis (Connor DeWolfe) and Luke (Grant Feely), as he was basically never around, instead was deployed by the Army to one battlefield after the next, raking in medal upon medal in the process. But now he wants to make it up for the boys and takes them on a camping trip. Bad thing though they stumble upon a drug manifacture deem inside the woods, and somehow into a big mess that results in Gunner's army buddy Jon (Barry Jay Minoff) being killed, Travis and Luke being taken captive by drug kingpin Dobbx (Mykel Shannon Jenkins), and Gunner being arrested by the Feds when mistaken for a drug runner. Fortunately though, the local Sheriff (John D. Hickman), an old friend of Gunner's, is sympathetic to his cause and springs him from jail, andx now Gunner goes after Dobbs. And while he's perfectrly capable of taking out Dobbs' machinegun carrying goons by the dozen using nothing but a handgun, Dobbs himself proves to be a more difficult caste as he mostly anticipates Gunner''s moves and has his sons as protection. So Gunner springs Dobbs' father (Morgan Freeman) from prison to increase his bargaining power ...

A film that feels like a perfect throwback to 1980s action cinema: It's full of macho posturing and gun worship, takes an at best questionable stance on vigilante justice and on taking human lives as such, and is perfectly uncritical in its views about the army, making its veteran hero near invincible. In all of this, Gunner might feel a little bit archaic from today's point of view, and when it comes to message, the film sure is. But seen as not a message movie - which it was probably never intended as - but escapist action cinema, this film sure works, it,s very competently put together, it moves at a very steady pace, the stuntwork looks very cool, and there's hardly a dull moment. Sure, it's a film that one better doesn't have too deep thoughts about, but it sure is entertaining.

Gunner will be released by Vertigo Releasing on digital platforms on December 9th, 2024.

review © by Mike Haberfelner

 

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