An awful, awful B action movie populated by long faded stars (Christian Slater, who shoots half of Afghanistan during the first few minutes) and talented actors deserving of far superior material (Sean Bean, who should be a proper movie star, but always shows up in this type of toxic waste). The concept (a past-his-prime vet is hired to lead bored rich men through a live war game, with disastrous results) has a certain camp ring to it and might have flown in an early Michael Bay film, but it goes nowhere here. The performances are bland. The direction is overheated and ugly. The pacing is lax. Even simple scenes are obliterated by absurd creative decisions: one "moving" heart-to-heart transpires in front of an open refrigerator. Who on earth has an extended conversation while seated in front of an open fridge?

I knew it would not be a good film when I started watching it, but I thought it might be amusing, maybe a bit exciting. It's just a painful chore to endure.

F