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Contraband, Movie

Contraband 2012

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What would you hide to protect your family?

Thriller set in the world of international smuggling starring Mark Wahlberg, Kate Beckinsale and Giovanni Ribisi. More

In New Orleans, former smuggler Chris (Wahlberg) is forced back into the game after his brother-in-law, Andy (Caleb Landry Jones, X-Men: First Class), botches a drug deal for his ruthless boss, Briggs (Ribisi). In an attempt to repay Andy's debt, Chris assembles a crew and makes a run to Panama and back, hoping to return with millions in counterfeit bills. When things fall apart on route, Briggs seeks revenge by going after Chris' wife (Beckinsale). Finding himself deep inside the world he had left behind, Chris now has to go toe-to-toe with the psychotic Briggs to protect his family. Hide

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89 votes / 9 comments The Talk

  • 73 %

    Want to See it

    What say you?

    • Darryn

      Info overload - I actually got bored...

    • Shopqueen

      lovelove warlberg ,so want to see this

    • cynic

      the trailer is the movie - the other 90mins are just explosions and markymarks abs

    • Timos

      yep

    • Chip

      Should be a decent action flick.

    • same story

      same as gone in 60 seconds??? and same guy!!!! wth?

    • fanco

      bonde Kate...yeah

    • DUBDUB

      KEEEEEEEN AAAAAAAAS Looks qood

    • flph

      looks bloody awesome

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Flicks.co.nz Review

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Dominic Corry Flicks Writer

This action thriller is a remake of an 2008 Icelandic movie (Reykjavik-Rotterdam) and bizarrely, is directed by the star of the original film. Baltasar Kormákur, the director in question, does a respectable job of maintaining the tension throughout Contraband, which proves to be moderately entertaining. More

Wahlberg's character Chris could easily be Mickey Ward from The Fighter five years down the track and shows just how much the actor is suited to playing blue collar characters. Like many a cinematic protagonist, Chris is a good man forced into a difficult situation but Wahlberg convinced me that his problems were tangible.

Despite the various pulpy elements, the film strives for a sense of realism and this is backed up by the fine collection of left-of-centre young Hollywood actors in supporting roles – Ben Foster; Lukas Haas and Giovanni Ribisi (Avatar), who is great as an unhinged psycho. Kate Beckinsale, however, is terribly miscast as Wahlberg's wife.

We're at a point in modern cinema where centring a film around smuggling feels almost quaint but this one manages to cram in a furious armoured car heist; a Speed 2: Cruise Control-esque ship collision and even more shipping container-based action than the climax of The A-Team movie.

I did keep waiting for them to go to Smuggler's Cove, though. No such luck. Hide

The People's Reviews

Rating:

5 ratings and 5 reviews

All reviews (5)

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Contra-'banded'?

RealityCheck Flicks Superstar (?)

Yup, its pretty good, lots of action, good music, good acting (mostly).. So kinda left a 'good' taste in my mouth, not sure what else to say. In parts seemed familar to 'Gone in 60sec', 'Next Three Days' and the bad (miss-understood-really-a-good-guy) main hero does what is right, even tho its wrong, but not that wrong... Anyway, I've seen much worse, and this is, well good I guess, in a Hollywood, suburban, kinda way...
Genre : Action, drama, drug
2/5 : was just kinda good, not that much empathy for characters, build up or anything

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Action Packed Movie

Aidan1 Flicks Superstar (?)

This was fantastic and tense at the same time and was really exciting. It's nice to see Mark Whalberg in another action movie he hasn't done anything like that since The Itailan Job. Really fun 5 Stars

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extract from theaterofthecommonman.com extract from theaterofthecommonman.com

TheaterofCommon Flicks Superstar (?)

extract from theaterofthecommonman.com

Contraband does exactly what it says on the tin. It's a movie, it's rated 16 and it shows Marky Mark busting people up inside their heads. Billed as an 'Action Thriller', there was certainly enough action to keep the bonehead bogans occupying the cinema's back row, satisfied. The thrills however were less than forthcoming.

Yet another example of big Hollywood's rabid appetite for eating its young, Contraband takes the successful 2008 Icelandic flick Reykjavik-Rotterdam and swallows it whole. The film that is spit out reeks of the hackneyed big studio money magnetism we have come to expect at this time of year. With awards season almost at a close, it's time to dive into the b-movie money makers Hollywood seems to save up for the proverbial rainy days.

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What could have been

Josef A-Lister (?)

This film could have been a cracker! The idea looked great and the trailer did a good job of dragging me along as soon as it was released. What a pity the film didn't quite deliver what could have been. The result is one of those films you might rent out from the video store when there is nothing else to watch.

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Muggles Smuggle

adamatdramatrain Flicks Superstar (?)

A cracking thriller, this US remake of of the Icelandic movie 'Reykjavik-Rotterdam' (2008) resets the action in New Orleans and should please fans of Marky Mark Wahlberg who like to see him get all blue-collar-criminal-trying-to-go-straight. Wahlberg plays the ex-smuggler forced to smuggle again with the type of conviction he displayed in 'Four Brothers' and 'The Fighter' and it's great to see Kate Beckinsale play his wife sans heavy make-up and tight 'Underworld' PVC pants. 'Avatar's Giovanni Ribisi plays the convincingly psychotic bad guy and Ben Foster (of 'Pandorum, '3:10 To Yuma' 'Alpha Dog' but, for me, he'll always be Russell from TV's 'Six Feet Under') plays Wahlberg's best buddy with his usual relish. The superb supporting cast are ably joined by J.K. Simmons, Lukas Haas and Diego Luna in a well-shot movie, directed by Baltasar Kormakur, the actor who played the lead in the original Icelandic film. Yes, it's all a bit old hat, and the "twist" can be guessed from three fathoms, but it's all handled without pretention in a suitably gritty style that keeps the tension ratcheted up. Well worth a watch - as is the original 'Reykjavik-Rotterdam.'

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Press Reviews

A.V. Club (USA)

It’s pretty much exactly as good as it needs to be. Full review.

Chicago Sun-Times (Roger Ebert)

Contraband involves a lot of energy, but I'm getting tired of violent retreads of these heist elements. Full review.

E! Online.com

Makes for a fun flick at first, until a nasty - and tonally inconsistent - misogynistic streak kills the joy. Full review.

Entertainment Weekly (USA)

While often grungy and far-fetched, does keep you watching. Full review.

Hollywood Reporter

An involving, atmospherically grungy mid-register thriller. Full review.

Leonard Maltin's Movie Crazy

Contraband left a bad taste in my mouth. Full review.

Los Angeles Times

Contraband is an action-junkies playground. Full review.

Rolling Stone

Wahlberg could sleepwalk through this role, and does. Full review.