After starring as Roman Pearce in six of the nine Fast & Furious films, it’s about time that Tyrese Gibson was given his very own action movie to lead.
On paper, Rogue Hostage looks like it has all the elements for Gibson to show that he’s much more than the comedic relief. Not only is he the producer, but he stars opposite a pretty strong roster of acting talent, including John Malkovich and action stalwart Michael Jai White.
More than that, there’s plenty for Gibson to sink his teeth into. His character Kyle Snowden is a former marine struggling with post-traumatic stress disorder, who now works in Child Protective Services and is a single father.
Snowden pays a visit to his stepfather Sam Nelson (Malkovich), a congressman, on the day he is opening a local supermarket. But a group of mercenaries attack the store, seeking revenge against Nelson as their leader blames him for ruining their father’s life. Snowden has to try and overcome his fears left over from the battlefield to save himself and the other hostages.
Watch the trailer here:
Rogue Hostage’s cinematic mission is very clear: Die Hard in a supermarket. To the film’s credit, it makes full use of its location, as quite a few products and accessories are used as weapons in gory and violent deaths. But there’s only so far that a low budget can be stretched on an action film with such lofty ambitions.
Which is a shame, as director Jon Keeyes manages to deliver some rather compelling set pieces, despite Rogue Hostage’s limitations. This is especially true of Snowden’s nightmares, where he constantly relives the tragic incident that caused his PTSD.
What really holds Rogue Hostage back is Mickey Solis’s truly abysmal script. The first act, with its wooden dialogue, is especially hard to watch. Then, once Rogue Hostage moves inside the supermarket, the film bizarrely tries to make sure that most of the characters are linked in some fashion, which only succeeds in making the plot convoluted.
Throughout all of this, though, Gibson valiantly gives it his all in a nuanced and genuinely impressive performance. Instead of screaming and going for laughs, Gibson makes sure that Snowden speaks meekly and appears vulnerable.
The rest of the supporting cast also deliver. Jai White is imposing as Nelson’s bodyguard, Christopher Backus brings a solid amount of menace as the lead villain, while Luna Lauren Velez’s Sunshine provides the heart and smarts.
Then there’s Malkovich. Just his mere presence is enough to make Rogue Hostage more watchable, and while this is far from a vintage performance, there are a couple of moments where his magnetism and comedic pedigree shine through.
Ultimately, though, Rogue Hostage still falls short. Its painful opening only leads to an adequate middle, while its finale is both predictable and lacklustre. At least it shows that there’s more to Gibson’s talents than driving cars and providing laughs.
Rogue Hostage will release in the UAE on Thursday
How to play the stock market recovery in 2021?
If you are looking to build your long-term wealth in 2021 and beyond, the stock market is still the best place to do it as equities powered on despite the pandemic.
Investing in individual stocks is not for everyone and most private investors should stick to mutual funds and ETFs, but there are some thrilling opportunities for those who understand the risks.
Peter Garnry, head of equity strategy at Saxo Bank, says the 20 best-performing US and European stocks have delivered an average return year-to-date of 148 per cent, measured in local currency terms.
Online marketplace Etsy was the best performer with a return of 330.6 per cent, followed by communications software company Sinch (315.4 per cent), online supermarket HelloFresh (232.8 per cent) and fuel cells specialist NEL (191.7 per cent).
Mr Garnry says digital companies benefited from the lockdown, while green energy firms flew as efforts to combat climate change were ramped up, helped in part by the European Union’s green deal.
Electric car company Tesla would be on the list if it had been part of the S&P 500 Index, but it only joined on December 21. “Tesla has become one of the most valuable companies in the world this year as demand for electric vehicles has grown dramatically,” Mr Garnry says.
By contrast, the 20 worst-performing European stocks fell 54 per cent on average, with European banks hit by the economic fallout from the pandemic, while cruise liners and airline stocks suffered due to travel restrictions.
As demand for energy fell, the oil and gas industry had a tough year, too.
Mr Garnry says the biggest story this year was the “absolute crunch” in so-called value stocks, companies that trade at low valuations compared to their earnings and growth potential.
He says they are “heavily tilted towards financials, miners, energy, utilities and industrials, which have all been hit hard by the Covid-19 pandemic”. “The last year saw these cheap stocks become cheaper and expensive stocks have become more expensive.”
This has triggered excited talk about the “great value rotation” but Mr Garnry remains sceptical. “We need to see a breakout of interest rates combined with higher inflation before we join the crowd.”
Always remember that past performance is not a guarantee of future returns. Last year’s winners often turn out to be this year’s losers, and vice-versa.
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Dr Amal Khalid Alias revealed a recent case of a woman with daughters, who specifically wanted a boy.
A semen analysis of the father showed abnormal sperm so the couple required IVF.
Out of 21 eggs collected, six were unused leaving 15 suitable for IVF.
A specific procedure was used, called intracytoplasmic sperm injection where a single sperm cell is inserted into the egg.
On day three of the process, 14 embryos were biopsied for gender selection.
The next day, a pre-implantation genetic report revealed four normal male embryos, three female and seven abnormal samples.
Day five of the treatment saw two male embryos transferred to the patient.
The woman recorded a positive pregnancy test two weeks later.
Where can I submit a sample?
Volunteers can now submit DNA samples at a number of centres across Abu Dhabi. The programme is open to all ages.
Collection centres in Abu Dhabi include:
- Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC)
- Biogenix Labs in Masdar City
- Al Towayya in Al Ain
- NMC Royal Hospital in Khalifa City
- Bareen International Hospital
- NMC Specialty Hospital, Al Ain
- NMC Royal Medical Centre - Abu Dhabi
- NMC Royal Women’s Hospital.
