Gunmen

Directed by Deran Sarafian, Gunmen follows mismatched criminals Dani (Christopher Lambert) and Cole (Mario Van Peebles) as they’re forced to work together to track down a drug lord’s (Patrick Stewart’s Loomis) massive fortune. Filmmaker Sarafian, armed with Stephen Sommers’ screenplay, delivers a watchable yet rarely engrossing thriller that admittedly does grow more and more engaging as it progresses, and there’s little doubt, certainly, that the picture’s ultimate success is due mostly to the top-notch efforts of the various performers – with Lambert and Van Peebles’ affable efforts here matched by an eclectic supporting cast that includes Kadeem Hardison, Sally Kirkland, and Brenda Bakke.  (Denis Leary’s engaging, entertaining turn as Loomis’ stone-cold henchman remains a continuing highlight, to be sure.) And although Sarafian has peppered the proceedings with instances of egregiously silly comedy (eg Dani and Cole shoot each other in the legs), Gunmen‘s proliferation of decent-enough action sequences paves the way for a comparatively propulsive second half that ensures it concludes on a fairly positive note – which does, in the end, cement the film’s place as a good-natured endeavor that feels like it could (and should) be better. (What, for example, is with the dimly-lit climax?)

**1/2 out of ****