Java Heat
Director: Conor Allyn
Starring: Kellan Lutz, Mickey Rourke, Ario Bayu
*
Set in Indonesia, Kellan Lutz plays Jake, an undercover American agent on the tail of a woman held captive by a ruthless terrorist (Mickey Rourke). Characters, plot and intrigue are all absent in this "explode first, explain later" action cliché-fest. The film's fatal flaw is that it is far more concerned with looking like a Hollywood action film than feeling like one and that results in an excruciating 100 minutes. Lutz withers in the spotlight, playing Jake as an oafish American stereotype opposite an eye-rolling Bayu as his Indonesian partner. Rourke is entertaining at times, but perhaps only due to his abandonment of all subtlety (and exceedingly odd accent). Overall, a wretched mess of an action film, with only passable production values to commend it.
* James Luxford
