When a black-ops operative (Cuba Gooding Jr.) learns of a secret plot between the U.S. Government and a ruthless terrorist, he embarks on a mission to uncover the truth.

CRITIQUE

The following is from Way of War’s description from the DVD case:

“Paramilitary operative David Wolfe (Cuba Gooding Jr.) is a highly trained, deadly assassin assigned to kill a notorious terrorist in the Middle East. During his mission, he stumbles upon a US government conspiracy involving the top members of the administration. Now on the run, David is determined to expose the truth before it’s too late.”

That is not the film I saw.

But then, “Cuba Gooding Jr. broods around Washington D.C. with no apparent goal. After wandering around for a while, he gets involved with Fight Club and then says mean things to Lost’s Christian Shepard (John Terry,)” while accurate, is far less catchy. And while the description on the box above describes a film that has the potential to be an intense paranoid thriller, we are instead given one of the most incoherent films I have ever seen (and I have seen many in my day.)

From the first frame, nothing in this film makes sense. We are told, in the beginning, that a ruthless terrorist known as “The Ace of Spades” (why this Osama bin Laden clone is called this, we never know) has been killed, but the three men assigned to this mission have lost their lives as well.  Well, not really. One of them, Wolfe, has survived and he might know something that would compromise certain people in power.

Now, all Wolfe wants is his money (money for what, we are never really certain. Hush money perhaps, maybe just payment for completing his mission,) and if they give him it, we assume he will just go away. Instead, the government kills the woman he loves (why?) and sends assassins after him.

Along the way, he meets with Clarence Williams III, who runs a liquor store (and has a dark past,) who takes him into the underground world of no holds barred fighting, in order for Wolfe to get close to the man who (we assume) is responsible for everything. The only problem is he’s just a cog in the machine as well. Or something like that.

Aside from the film’s complete lack of coherence (and it is possible that this film did make sense at one time and was edited down into its current mindless state,) the film lacks the energy to keep you invested. For a film that is selling itself as an “action” film, there is very little action to take note of.

And I understand that this film was extremely low budget (shot for something like $5 million,) which makes it difficult to run around and blow stuff up, director John Carter has no sense of style to make what little action pieces he could afford worthwhile.

Everything about this film feels like wasted effort.  There are talented actors in this film, who are unable to rise above the material. The basic concept is good (albeit generic,) but nothing comes together in the end, leaving the audience completely in the dark. 

Had there been any sense of style, this might have been a fun little flick, but as it stands, there is nothing here to recommend.

THE VIDEO

Way of War is presented in 2.35:1 anamorphic widescreen and looks clean. There is no detectable grain, nor any flaws in the video. Now, my copy of the film did have an issue with its subtitle track, which presented lines of dialogue two lines early (and at one point, dialogue from a later scene appears instead of what is actually being said.) 

THE AUDIO

The film is presented in 5.1 Digital Surround and sounds ok. The few action sequences do not pop out at you, but the mix is good enough. The dialogue is clear and nothing is lost under music or sound effects.

THE EXTRAS

Nothing in the way of extras.

FINAL THOUGHT