The Contractor

Directed by Tarik Saleh, The Contractor follows recently-discharged Green Beret James Harper (Chris Pine) as he reluctantly agrees to take on a lucrative gig for a private military company run by a former soldier (Kiefer Sutherland’s Rusty) – with problems naturally ensuing after James discovers that his mission is not quite as cut-and-dry as he was led to believe. There’s little doubt, ultimately, that The Contractor fares best in its low-key yet surprisingly compelling opening stretch, as filmmaker Saleh, armed with J.P. Davis’ screenplay, delivers a subdued drama focused on the day-to-day exploits of Pine’s grizzled, sympathetic figure – with the watchable vibe heightened by Saleh’s appropriately gritty visuals and a perpetually spellbinding turn from Pine. It’s clear, then, that the picture’s slow-but-steady descent into irrelevance is triggered by a generic and rather bland midsection, as Saleh generally proves unable to infuse this portion of the proceedings with the excitement and tension one might’ve anticipated – which is disappointing, to say the least, given the effectiveness of Pine’s tough-as-nails efforts. (The action itself, though competently handled, has been drained of its energy thanks mostly to Saleh’s flat visual sensibilities.) By the time relatively satisfying climax rolls around, The Contractor has cemented its place as a disappointing misfire that generally feels like it should be much, much better.

** out of ****