Over the last few years, it seems that Cuba Gooding Jr. has been downgraded to the straight to video action market. He has had numerous films hit the shelves out of nowhere, but they are all a far cry from his Oscar winning A-list days. Dolph Lundgren has been doing them for years with only a couple forays into the big screen lately with the Expendables series. Their latest One in the Chamber throws these two guys together in an assassin cat and mouse game, but can they deliver something worth checking out or just another forgettable actioner.
One in the Chamber follows an assassin playing both sides of the Russian mob. When he fails to complete a hit, another assassin is called in to finish the job and him. This is a pretty simple film with very little plot, but to be honest not much is needed to make it work. The little bit of story they try to force on you outside of the assassins story fills unnecessary and out of place. Lundgren pretty much plays the same character from the Expendables films and does so with the fun stiff charm he somehow brings along with it. He seems to be having a good time stealing the show every time he steps on screen. The same can't be said for Gooding who does a fine job with his character, but just seems to really not be having any fun doing it. This has been a trend with his last few films that leads you to wonder if he is just delivering so much anger to bring out the characters or is really just not feeling it anymore. Either way, the character works decently for this film as he really needs very little emotion or feelings other than the need and ability to kill and there is no shortage of that here. There are a lot of old school shoot outs in this film that continues to up the body count very similar to the action films from the 90's. There is even and fight between Gooding and Lundgren that seems a bit far-fetched, but manages to work on some level.
This isn't a great movie by any means, but it is one that renters are sure to get exactly what they think from it, action. If you like either of these guys or just mindless action films, then check this film out its worth a rent.
http://www.examiner.com/movie-in-dallas/bobby-blakey
One in the Chamber follows an assassin playing both sides of the Russian mob. When he fails to complete a hit, another assassin is called in to finish the job and him. This is a pretty simple film with very little plot, but to be honest not much is needed to make it work. The little bit of story they try to force on you outside of the assassins story fills unnecessary and out of place. Lundgren pretty much plays the same character from the Expendables films and does so with the fun stiff charm he somehow brings along with it. He seems to be having a good time stealing the show every time he steps on screen. The same can't be said for Gooding who does a fine job with his character, but just seems to really not be having any fun doing it. This has been a trend with his last few films that leads you to wonder if he is just delivering so much anger to bring out the characters or is really just not feeling it anymore. Either way, the character works decently for this film as he really needs very little emotion or feelings other than the need and ability to kill and there is no shortage of that here. There are a lot of old school shoot outs in this film that continues to up the body count very similar to the action films from the 90's. There is even and fight between Gooding and Lundgren that seems a bit far-fetched, but manages to work on some level.
This isn't a great movie by any means, but it is one that renters are sure to get exactly what they think from it, action. If you like either of these guys or just mindless action films, then check this film out its worth a rent.
http://www.examiner.com/movie-in-dallas/bobby-blakey