It
is probably always a bad idea to give artificial intelligence programs
nicknames with religious connotations. This immersive biometric truth-seeking
“lie-detector” AI facility is often referred to as a “Temple.” Wesley Snipes
and his team of commandos might just get some religion when they are trapped
inside it in John Stockwell’s Armed
Response
(trailer here),
which opens today in New York.
Gabe
Arcona designed the Temple systems (too well), but he has been on a boozy
extended leave after the horrible death of his daughter. He is not over it, but
team leader Isaac needs to pull him back in anyway. A team guarding a Temple
has gone dark, so Arcona will have to figure out what happened. Of course, they
find the entire detachment has been murdered, under baffling circumstances.
The
only survivor is a known terrorist discovered in the isolation chamber, but he is
just as clueless as they are. Given he is driven more by opportunism than
religion, freelance warlord might be a more apt description, but terrorism is
the crime he is wanted for. Yet, for some reason, the Temple interfered with
the TSA facial recognition programs, paving his way to the secret installation.
Before
too long, strange goings-on start to rattle Isaac and his team. Arcona also begins
to suspect something not so on the up-and-up transpired with the squad during
his absence. His ill-concealed suspicions cause friction, particularly with the
knuckle-dragging Brett, played by professional wrestler Seth Rollins, which
gives you an idea of his persona.
John
Stockwell is a slickly competent genre director who has helmed legitimately entertaining
but not exactly prestigious films like Kid Cannabis, In the Blood, and the body-slamming reboot, Kickboxer: Vengeance. He most likely brought the film in on-time
and under-budget, but even he has trouble balancing the films guns-and-brawn
action with its uncanny elements, especially as the latter become increasingly
illogical and nonsensical.
It
is a good thing Snipes is on the one-sheet or else we might forget he is in
this movie. Apparently, he is the Picard of swaggering, testosterone-charged
commandos instead of a Kirk. For what it’s worth, Dave Annable is surprisingly
grounded and convincing as the grief-stricken Arcona. That really is Anne Heche
portraying Riley, the sensitive commando, but she plays it straight and fully
committed. Snipes is in there someplace, while Rollins thugs it up, to the
hilt.
