Reviewed by Victor Rebikoff.
Director: McG, Entertainment One and EuropaCorp, PG 117 Minutes.
Academy award winning director Kevin Costner (‘Dances with Wolves’) features in this action thriller from filmmaker McG (‘Terminator Salvation’) as a terminally-ill CIA agent offered an experimental drug that could save his life; provided he undertakes one last assignment.
The story begins at CIA headquarters where agent Vivi DeLay (Amber Heard – ‘Danish Girl’) is tasked with getting agent Ethan Renner (Costner) to dispose of the international terrorist “Wolf” Braun (Richard Sammel – ‘French Dolls’) including his associate, The Albino (Tomas Lemarquis – ‘Snowpiercer’).
After accepting the offer Ethan is mindful of building a closer relationship with estranged daughter Zooey (Hailee Steinfeld – ‘Bumblebee’) and wife Tina (Connie Nielsen – ‘Justice League’) as he confronts the Albino.
He then ends up in hospital where he is told of his fatal illness.
As the story unfolds Ethan endeavours to spend as much time with Zooey and Tina as he can as well as attending to his cancer condition; at the same time Ethan is somewhat surprised to have Vivi helping him in his assignment by locating the Albino at a hotel where Ethan spots the Wolf and attempts to kill him.
Once again due to his crippling condition he is unable to finish the job leaving it to Vivi to finally shoot Wolf, despite Ethan having managed to get rid of the Albino by pushing him under a train.
With the assignment concluded Ethan is able to spend Christmas with his family and pleased at having reconciled with Zooey and Tina-in addition to receiving a present from Vivi containing the promised syringe designed to extend his life.
The success of McG’s 2016 action movie is mainly due to an entertaining screenplay written by famed writer, producer and director Luc Besson (‘The Fifth Element’) who succeeds in incorporating an action-filled storyline intertwined within some heart-warming moments.
Notwithstanding the pleasing French and Serbian settings it’s Costner’s own charisma that steals the show with his enjoyable performance as the CIA agent and is ably supported by Heard, Lemarquis (as the Albino) and Steinfeld.
3 Days To Kill is being televised on 9GEM at 9.45pm on Saturday 20 February.
Vic’s Verdict: 3 ½ Stars
