[Wulfster]

I know I am really going to regret this, and that nobody will agree (or probably comment) on this, but I wanted to start a thread for "Lock-Out".

The main reason being that Guy Pearce (rolling out laconic one-liners like his life depended on it, and seemingly having a blast) and Maggie Grace (Surprisingly good and channeling an inner-Ripley) are so damned entertaining in this.

I seem to have a high tolerance rating for "bad" actioners this year, as I've quite happily sat through "John Carter" and "Battleship", without slashing the cinema seats, so maybe it's that..

But... I watched Lock-out in an audience of four, and I had a blast and a big soppy grin.
Don't get me wrong. The story is dopey to the max, doesn't hang together, and has a jaw-droppingly ludicrous sequence at the end that had me dumb-founded ... but it's fun.

We don't have enough "fun" actioners anymore. When I was younger, stuff like "Tango & Cash" and "Bad Boys" and suchlike catered to the need for knuckle-headed actioners.

You could write a book of Pearce's one-liners..
(Eg: "I'm being beaten up by a guy called Rupert!?!"
"Who was your contact?" .. "His name was Fock Yoo. I think he was Asian..."), and the chemistry between him and Grace is spot-on. They reminded me of Paltrow and Downey's banter in the Iron Man films.
I would pay to see these two team-up again in a sequel.

Anyway, it's bombed in the US and probably won't make the top 5 (or 10) here.

But I liked it, so there...

[heart break kid]

I haven't seen it, but I got the impresion that it was played for laughs from the trailer. I thought it looked pretty good! Obviously not high art, but I agree that there is definitely a market for fun, tough action films with cool heros, one liners, and massively over the top action.

Shame it bombed - Guy Pearce is excellent. I'll be going to see it.

[ASIFZED]

In a week of average releases, Lockout is worth a look in .

From the mind of Luc Besson, this has some pedigree at least behind this. Guy Pearce plays the hero, framed for a supposed crime he didn't commit, his character of Snow is a pumped-up, wise cracking anti-hero sent into rescue the President's daughter whose been taken hostage (Taken's Maggie Grace) in an orbiting high-security prison.

Throw in some typical incarcerated cons (gruff leader, psychotic rapist sibling etc) and you have a recipe for action, bloodshed and mayhem. And Lockout delivers. If it weren't for the engaging banter from Snow and the obligatory love-hate relationship between him and Grace's character,
it would have been a far weaker film. As it is, it's entertaining throughout, has solid action scenes, a 'McGuffin' in the plot, some decent space-bound FX (though features a very computer game effect bike chase sequence on home soil ...) and a likeable hero and heroine to root for. The cast also includes reliable character actors Peter Stormare and Lennie James in a game of the baddie.

While not scaling the heady heights of similar action fare, it fills the gap before Avengers Assemble dominates the multiplexes over the next few weeks.

Ignore the nay-sayers. Disengage the brain, grab a big bag of popcorn and enjoy. Rating - 7/10.

[J_Peasmould]

I saw it yesterday...and wish I could forget the movie!

Pearce was OK, but the story was all over the place! Some of the characters were so stupid it was beyond believe. In particular I speak of the secret service man, and the President! That character seemed more concerned with matters closer to home, than that of the American people!

Of course it's my personal opinion. Good luck to you if you enjoyed it...it's all down to personal taste.

[Motthus]

I found Lockout to be good mindless fun.Its nothing special but it does pass a few hours.Guy Pearce was great in it and hopefully this now means we will see him in bigger Hollywood roles starting with Iron Man 3.Maggie Grace was ok as well and had more to do than she did in Taken!

[JasonWatkins]

Just watched it and really enjoyed it.

When the second line in the film is "Well it was coupon night and I was trampolining your wife" then you know you're going to have some fun

[MrSuper]

I liked Lockout. Total sci-fi/action mindless B-movie nonsense but very enjoyable nonsense indeed! Nice to see Guy Pearce take centre stage in a fun role for once!!! He played it with a wink and plenty of charm and Maggie Grace more than held her own too. Lot of British actors in this which i didn't expect especially when i laid my eyes on Rudy from Misfits playing a psycho!

[Ted Cunterblast]

I watched this a few weeks ago, and was not impressed.

The opening chase sequence is one of the worst pieces of shoddy CGI I have ever seen, even rivals the surfing sequence in Die Another Day.

It seems like the filmakers were going for an 'Escape From New York' feel, with the need to rescue a presidential person from a lawless, impenetrable fortress, and a laconic, dry-witted anti-hero/ex con/ex special forces etc dude sent in to rescue them.

I thought Pearce was wasted in this, and I don't personally think him or Grace 'saved' the movie.

In movies like this, where the actors surely KNOW how ridiculous it is, they either make a concerted effort to rise above the material and do something different or interesting with it, or they just take the money and run.

The only point of interest for me was seeing so many UK and Australian ex soap and tv actors, like the excellent Joseph Gilgun (nice to see him broadening his range of accents), Vincent Regan and Lennie James.

[bookaddict]

I hadn't even heard of it, but will definitely take a look - thanks OP

I have always thought Guy Pearce was an extremely talented actor (and an extremely nice man).

[Andy_C75]

Watched this a few days ago.....
totally agree opening chase sequence on the "bike" was terrible, i have seen better CGI on Tv with much lesser budgets (think Firefly)
it was mindless fun and when i got past the chase at the start it was just an enjoyable film, Guy Pearce is a fantastic actor, with great dead pan delivery...yes cheesy, yes contrived in places with plot holes you can drive a spaceship through.....but fun

[zwixxx]

Sometimes I'm just not in the mood to watch yet another movie about an innovative teacher sent into a classroom filled with kids previously labeled as no hopers... but instead want some mindless explosion filled baddies being pummeled movie.

[Andy_C75]

Originally Posted by zwixxx

Sometimes I'm just not in the mood to watch yet another movie about an innovative teacher sent into a classroom filled with kids previously labeled as no hopers... but instead want some mindless explosion filled baddies being pummeled movie.

Hear Hear!!
Next stop Expendables 2

[zwixxx]

^hey!!, what about Bourne Legacy the week before!!!

[Andy_C75]

Originally Posted by zwixxx

^hey!!, what about Bourne Legacy the week before!!!

lol, good point alough that does require a few brain cells to be functioning

[JasonWatkins]

Laughed at the part where they fell through the floor and she landed head-first in his lap and the line was "Well you didn't have to do that, a simple thankyou would have been enough"

[brangdon]

Originally Posted by Ted Cunterblast

The opening chase sequence is one of the worst pieces of shoddy CGI I have ever seen, even rivals the surfing sequence in Die Another Day.

The film doesn't really get going until the two principle characters meet. And then it's good, unpretentious fun.

[geordielady]

I thought it was a great movie.

IMO dont recall seeing a bad film where Guy Pearce is the lead or a major character.

Maggie Grace was cool as well and anything Luc Besson is involved in is always worth a watch

[Rorschach]

Originally Posted by geordielady

IMO dont recall seeing a bad film where Guy Pearce is the lead or a major character.

Then I assume you've never seen The Time Machine or Ravenous.

When I saw this thread resurrect I could have sworn I had already replied in it, but it turns out that was in the "Last Movie you Watched" thread.

So I'll just copy that reply over here...

"Lockout (Guy Pearce in Spaaaaaaaaaace)

Yes it was a bit of a pick and mix of other films, but I bloody loved it.

Funny, action packed, good acting and more well rounded characters than you usually expect in such a film.

May not have gone down well with critics and audiences but it's one for the collection.

8/10"



PS - OP I thought John Carter and Battleship were OK too, Battleship was certainly better than Transformers 2 or 3 (yes I know I'm setting the bar quite low there ).