No Escape (2014)

Dir: John Erick Dowdle

I passed on seeing NO ESCAPE during its theatrical run as it looked like a bland action film. It wasn't until I revisited director's John Erick Dowdle's QUARANTINE and noted he directed both films that I gave NO ESCAPE a go.

After his business fails despite an exciting invention, Jack (Owen Wilson THE HAUNTING remake) takes a position with water works company Cardiff in an unnamed country in South East Asia (think Thailand or Cambodia). He uproots his family, wife Annie (Lake Bell UNDER STILL WATERS) and their two daughters to start fresh. Unknown to the Americans is that Cardiff's usurping of the water the people depend on has driven them to revolt. The leader of the country is assassinated, mobs clash and overwhelm police and the military and turn their hatred towards all foreigners and those who heel at the feet of the imperialists. Unfortunately for Jack and his family, they've laid siege to the international hotel the family is staying at. The family must escape the hotel and make their way to the hope of survival that is the American embassy.

Hammond (Pierce Brosnan), man of mystery with a Brummie (?) accent befriends the family on the flight over. He's been in country numerous times previously and knows many people, including the Kenny Rogers lovin' taxi driver named Kenny Rogers (Sahajak Boonthanakit SKIN TRADE). Hammond is one of those characters who are more plot mechanism than character. Not much is known about him other than he drinks a lot and can fight and he turns up at just the right time when the family needs saving. He's also around to give a speech about how the global companies are screwing over the indigenous population in their quest for the almighty dollar. While I enjoyed Brosnan's portrayal of the loud and obnoxious character, I felt the appearances to be too much of a script crutch.

NO ESCAPE achieves what it sets out to do. It is a tension filled, smartly written (except for the aforementioned Hammond character appearances) actioner.

*** out of ****