From writer William Goldman, director Simon West, and starring Jason Statham, Milo Ventimiglia, Sofia Vergara, Anne Heche, Stanley Tucci & Michael Angarano. It’s a remake of Banco (1986) led by Burt Reynolds and based on Goldman’s novel Heat.

Premise: Nick Wild is a Las Vegas bodyguard with lethal professional skills and a personal gambling problem. When a friend is beaten by a sadistic thug, Nick strikes back, only to find out the thug is the son of a powerful mob boss. Suddenly Nick is plunged into the criminal underworld, chased by enforcers and wanted by the mob. Having raised the stakes, Nick has one last play to change his fortunes…and this time, it’s all or nothing.

Review: The trailer for Wild Card is very misleading, the film is not just a revenge movie starring Martial Art expert, ass-kicking, lethal weapon Jason Statham. It’s actually surprising, well thought-out, and more about Nick Wild’s character than mindless fight scenes.

Well, the problem might not just be the trailer. There are a lot of side stories in this one film, the stories give you context, and get a better sense of who Nick Wild (Statham) is, but in this case, it’s a little bit much. Because if you pick any of the side stories and make a trailer of it, you’ll have a completely different film, which is why the movie feels like a draft, jumbled, messy. I am aware that I’m saying this about a film written by an academy award-winning screenwriter but that’s how it is.

In a way, it reflects Nick Wild’s state of mind and where he’s at in his life. The deeper you get into the movie the more layers you find and realize what he’s struggling with but as the movie starts to scratch the surface it ends. I like Wild Card for one thing because it shows Jason Statham in a new light. He talks as much as he fights in this film and if you like Statham throwing fits and handling knives you’ll be pleasantly surprised to him talk.

Wild Card is a better movie than I expected, don’t get me wrong it’s not a movie of the year, but it’s kind of good and entertaining.

What did you think of Wild Card?

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