“Lockout” Needs to be Locked Up.
When I was in the 6th grade I wanted to write a story about a tough guy who played by his own rules, a guy who always got the girl and said cool one-liners throughout the story. Then one day he was recruited by the government to rescue the President’s daughter. He did things his own way with help from no one because that is what awesome rebels do. And, one more thing he smoked cigarettes to show people how tough he is.
Then the logical part of my mind kicked on and I thought to myself that would be a stupid story because it was done before by movies from the 1980s – “Escape From New York,” “Blade Runner,” “Missing in Action 1 and 2.” Who would want to read that story?
I should have held onto my dream just a little longer and I could have sold that story to Luc Besson who turned it into an ever-so-painful story called “Lockout,” directed by James Mather and Stephen St. Leger (I don’t know why it would take two people to direct this film).
Set in the future, we are introduced to our hero with one name and only one name – Snow (played by Guy Pearce) who is taking a beating in an interrogation room. With each punch to his face he spouts off a clever one-liner referencing a supposed affair with his interrogator’s wife. Snow has been victim of a double cross while working for the CIA and is soon on his way to space prison.
Did I just type the words space prison?
Yes, the entire story revolves around a maximum security prison in outer space. The prison is called MS One (it stands for Maximum Security One). Ugh. Really guys? With four men earning screenwriting credits, that’s the best name you can come up with?
The President’s daughter, Emilie (played by Maggie Grace) takes a humanitarian space trip to interview the prisoners to see if this space prison is treating them fairly. While there, one of the crazy prisoners breaks free then sets the other 497 prisoners free and takes Emilie and her entourage hostage.
So now what? Well, it only makes sense to send the loose cannon, Snow, with all of his witty one- liners to save the damsel in distress. Because sending someone the government could trust would only make too much sense.
For the next hour it is Snow and Emilie against the violent prisoners. It’s a pretty standard story of a man and woman who don’t get along at first then grow to be attracted to one another while fighting their way to freedom in space prison. All along Snow is searching for a prisoner who can help prove his own innocence back on earth.
Their freedom from the space prison does come in a ridiculous method where the couple skydives from space onto a busy city highway. No worries though, they don’t burn up in the atmosphere or break any bones when they land. Again, ugh.
Should you see this movie? Please don’t. It will only encourage them to make a sequel. This was simplistically written with no risks taken to put the audience on edge. Everything in this film had been done before.
However, all is fun in a senseless action movie where there is violent behavior galore among the prisoners. I do have an issue with a scene where the tough guy, Snow, needs to disguise Emilie so that she can fit in with the rest of the prisoners. He forcibly cuts and dyes her hair then he sucker punches her in the face knocking her down to add a finishing touch. Guy Pearce and Maggie Grace should be ashamed for agreeing to use violence against women to earn a cheap laugh. It could have been left out and no one would have known it was missing.
