Originally published on metropolis.co.jp on February 2013

Jason Statham has found his niche, and apparently sees no reason why he should stop remaking his movie. But it’s okay, because his fans don’t really want him to. In the latest iteration, a serviceable, straightforward heist/revenge thriller directed by Taylor Hackford (An Officer and a Gentleman; Ray), Statham’s thief with a moral code is double-crossed and left for dead by his nefarious crew (Michael Chiklis, Wendell Pierce, Clifton Collins Jr. and Michah Hauptman). But he regains his health and begins to plan satisfying and stylish ways to sabotage their next job, in Miami Beach. Anyway, starts off strong but becomes steadily more predictable when the action moves to Florida. This is where Jennifer Lopez anchors an entirely superfluous and improbable subplot as a ditzy, divorced Miami Beach realtor. Without her, the movie would be exactly the same, or even a bit more cohesive, but they wouldn’t get to put Jennifer Lopez on the posters. The action scenes are well done, the acting’s generally good (Nick Nolte appears briefly), and it’s fairly unpretentious. But if it’s originality you’re looking for, what are you doing watching a Jason Statham flick?