Edward Drake is in the director’s chair for new action-crime-comedy mashup Guns Up, which, despite showing potential in its first act, ultimately gets caught in the crossfire of mismatched genres and talent.
Ray Hayes (Kevin James) is a grizzled former police officer who now works as muscle for the criminal underworld. His wife Alice (Christina Ricci), aware of but wearied by his double life, urges him to cut ties with the mob and focus on his family.
When Ray’s final job goes sideways – thanks to a betrayal involving oily mob fixer Antonio Castigan (Maximilian Osinski) – he finds himself and his family in immediate danger. What follows is a long, grimy night of escapes, gunfights, and family drama, as Ray must outwit both the law and the criminals he once served.
Drake’s script wants to be taken seriously, especially when it dives into Ray’s regrets and moral dilemmas, but it’s filled with clichés and laughably implausible plot developments. The comedic elements are similarly stilted, never quite landing and often undercutting the film’s dramatic momentum.
For James, most known for comedy roles in Paul Blart: Mall Cop and the Grown Ups films, stepping into the shoes of a jaded former cop turned mob henchman could’ve been something special. Sadly, his performance lacks conviction, oscillating awkwardly between dead-serious brooding and half-hearted wisecracks. He never fully sells either, and it’s difficult to buy him as a credible threat in the world the film presents.
Thankfully though, Ricci is the film’s real VIP. Even though Alice doesn’t get a whole lot to do until the third act, she imbues her scenes with a quiet urgency and moral backbone that the script sorely lacks. You can always bet on Ricci to bring her A-game.
For a film marketed as an action-comedy, the action in Guns Up is disappointingly lifeless. The set pieces are haphazardly edited, often poorly lit, and strangely bloodless for a film that supposedly hinges on life-or-death stakes. An early shoot-out in a warehouse is so heavily obscured by flashing lights and shaky camerawork that it’s hard to tell who’s shooting whom. Later sequences involving car chases and alleyway brawls similarly lack tension or visual flair.
The budget on display here is clearly hampering some of the ambition too, but that’s not the root of the problem. The issue is that Drake never establishes a coherent rhythm or style. The pacing lurches from scene to scene without build-up or payoff, and the choreography feels downright amateurish. Even the sound design feels shockingly flat and lifeless.
There is some stuff to enjoy and appreciate here – Ricci’s performance, the surprisingly solid first act, and the occasional good jokes – but regardless, it’s a massively forgettable film. If you’re itching for something to watch with Christina Ricci this weekend, your best bet is to check out Yellowjackets if you haven’t already.
GUNS UP will be released digitally on 21st July.
