12 Rounds

release year: 2009
genre: action/drama
viewing setting: home DVD, 8/29/09

synopsis: A New Orleans cop almost accidentally captures an international terrorist, killing the terrorist's girlfriend in the process...so a year later, the terrorist escapes custody and comes for revenge.

impressions: This used the Die Hard 3 template and almost everything was the same. The bad guy made the good guy run around and try to complete a series of almost-impossible tasks. I guess in this one, the good guy's girlfriend was a hostage of the bad guy. There was a lot of action, but not so much fighting for Cena. One drawback: it makes no sense for one man to be allowed to jeopardize hundreds of lives...to save one. That's not good logic.

something this movie has that no other movie has: People jumping from a helicopter, falling hundreds of feet into a swimming pool.

acting: John Cena does fine and probably has a good career ahead of him in this genre. Aidan Gillen, as the bad guy, evokes a younger Richard Gere. Steve Harris is a hostile, uncaring FBI guy who's obsessed with catching the bad guy.

final word: Decent action fare, but without as much fighting as I'd have hoped.

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