Collateral Damage Review
by Homer Yen (homer_yen AT yahoo DOT com)February 15th, 2002
"Collateral Damage" – Take That, You Evil Doer! by Homer Yen
(c) 2002
O-Saaaaaa-maaaaaa. Bin Laaaaaaaa-dinnnnnnn. Come out, come out wherever you are!
Well, until our military intelligence can locate him and our military might can flush him out, perhaps we can vicariously feel that imminent sense of payback through "Collateral Damage," a fairly entertaining vehicle about a terrorist who hands tragedy to the wrong man.
Gordy Brewer (Arnold Schwarzeneggar) is your typical family man. He's a loving father and husband. But he's not the average man you meet on the street. He's kindhearted and will help to stare off street thugs when they threaten an innocent woman. He's a heroic firefighter who not readily charges into burning buildings to save others, but is also quite adept with an axe and has a background in arson investigation (very useful for building incendiary devices later in the film!). And, I suspect, he has had some kind of military training as an Army Ranger, because no ordinary man can do the things that he is capable of doing. Of course, we can forgive that leap of logic, for much of the moviegoing universe is probably ready for a little mayhem and above-the-law justice.
Brewer is a man on a mission after a terrorist bomb takes the lives of his family as well as half a city block and a handful of other innocents. The CIA task force, led by Agent Brandt (Elias Koteas), vows to catch the killer. The prime suspect, known as "The Wolf" (Cliff Curtis), has been linked to several recent bombings. However, the government discourages a hastily planned response and pesky politics puts The Wolf's apprehension on the backburner.
Brewer is understandably angry takes matters into his own hands. Our hero is extremely resourceful, however, and does lots of homework in preparation for his insuperable task. With some sage advice, he negotiates a treacherous journey into Columbia; with his physical strength, he fends off trigger-happy locals; and with a whole lot of luck, he survives several attempts on his life. He manages to accomplish what would be improbable for most of us (including the CIA). That is, he penetrates guerilla territory and begins his personal manhunt to locate and kill The Wolf. Brewer is hands-down way more effective and efficient than our American spy network.
And this film is somehow hands-down way more effective and efficient than the typical Ah-nold thriller. The story is uncomplicated and moves along at a steady clip from setting to setting where our fireman constantly comes oh-so-close to becoming a casualty. Luckily, he receives help from some unlikely sources, including Selena (Francesca Neri), a woman who has close ties to The Wolf; Armstrong (John Turturro), an opportunist who provides Brewer with a needed travel pass; and Felix (John Leguizamo), a dim drug trafficker.
Meanwhile, our hero is likeable. Perhaps Arnold has mellowed out, and we can better relate to him. Or, perhaps we are still reeling from the memories of that tragic day back on 9/11 and can better sympathize with his feelings.
There's an undeniable guilty pleasure that arises as we watch him close in on his prey. Given our feelings towards terrorism, this may be one of the last films of its kind. But it's always nice when the last of its kind goes out with a bang rather than a whimper.
Grade: B
S: 0 out of 3
L: 1 out of 3
V: 2 out of 3
More on 'Collateral Damage'...
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