2 GUNS

Not so long ago, the film industry was awash with the likes of Joel Silver and Jerry Bruckheimer productions - films with big names, big action sequences and loud music.

The late 80's and early 90's were the height of these "big on budget and low on script' types of film but then, like all things, their time came and went.

Well it seems that director Baltasar Kormakur doesn't agree with this.

His first foray into major motion picture territory is one that feels, looks, sounds and registers with those who were around back then as a film that was made in the early 90's and has been, up until now, lost in a storeroom somewhere in Hollywood. Your love - or toleration - of this genre will greatly affect your viewing outcome of 2 Guns.

From the get-go, we are given an introduction to The Denzel & Mark Show as the do their mis-matched cop buddy routine - and it's good.  Very good. The two banter back-n-forth relentlessly and effortlessly over such trivial things as what to order for breakfast and how much a tip should be (very reminiscent of the opening salvo from Reservoir Dogs.) And that's all in the opening sequence before the old school "one month earlier" scrawl appears and the story set-up begins in earnest.

Now the story of 2 Guns is one of no surprises to avid cinema-go'ers - there are crosses, double crosses and even at times the beginnings of triple crosses pouring out of the woodwork as the plot thickens and Denzel and Mark grudgingly try to trust each other to get to the bottom of things. This is all the while an elusive $43.125 million dollars (as mentioned by Bill Paxton channelling his nasty brother Chet role from Weird Science everytime he appears on screen) is being hunted by several groups of people from the mob through to corrupt CIA and dodgy DEA Agents. This set up of people all converging on the money casts shadows of the grand finale from True Romance which only solidifies the feeling of 80/90's cinema.

Now with such a run-of-the-mill story full of 2 dimensional baddies what starts to happen is "good guy disappearance" syndrome. Whenever The Denzel & Mark Show is not up upon the screen, the proceedings start to feel somewhat flat and protracted without their genuinely pleasing chemistry creating more back-n-forth than a ping pong championship final.

Fun but none-the-less fleeting, 2 Guns is an enjoyable ride but one that makes you want to go back and put on the likes of The Last Boy Scout to see how buddy flicks with double crosses and shenanigans should be played out. Long live the 80's!

UK release date: 16.08.13
Certificate: 15