The Losers (2010)

Like most people, I saw the preview for this movie and thought "That looks kind of cool", but I also know that trailers lie. Too often, they show you the best bits of the movie or completely ruin the plot. And that Chris Evans clip with the sniper in the office building seemed like a trailer-spoiler.

Rotten Tomatoes was also not encouraging with predominantly squashed tomato reviews. Now, I like RT, but occasionally they are just completely off. I think it's because all their reviewers are very mainstream and sometimes a movie just doesn't strike people the right way. I read one positive review on Screenrant, which they seem to have taken down, that compared it to Ocean's Eleven, and that made me happy. Yes, I based my decision to see the movie on one good review. That's because I wanted to see it anyway and was just looking for any excuse.

Fortunately, I was completely justified in this decision! The Losers is a really fun movie very well suited to a Saturday matinee or a fun date with someone who might be a little squeamish about the bloodshed or foul-mouthed elementary schoolgirl action in Kick-Ass. Chris Evans is starting to become an actor I will go see in just about anything. I didn't know it at the time, but he was the only enjoyable character in Fantastic Four as The Human Torch. He couldn't save that piece of shit movie, but you got the feeling that he was at least trying.

Not that the rest of The Losers crew is anything to dismiss out of hand. Zoe Saldana is reigning high as the queen of summer movies, with Star Trek and Avatar beneath her skinny belt, and Idris Elba is one of those serious dramatic actors. Jason Patric is a complete ham, upping the sleaze factor to 11.

It could be better, of course, damn near anything except The Dark Knight could be better. It's a little choppy, the shaky action-cam threatens to ruin some of the better fights, and there is at least one explosion that looks like someone had done the CGI on a laptop. Barring those minor disturbances, it's a fun popcorn flick that will whet your appetite until Iron Man 2 drops in two weeks.