Pierce Brosnan, one of my favorite Bonds, is back in the action genre with The Misfits. This time out, he plays an international crook that never met an opportunity to steal. There is a group that wants his expertise for one of the great heists ever. They want to raid a European fortified prison that is owned by an enemy of Brosnan’s—Tim Roth—who just happens to have piles of gold in the basement.
See, there’s this group of outlaws called The Misfits that is comprised of Nick Cannon’s wise talking Ringo, Jamie Chung’s martial arts expert Violet, Mike Angelo’s explosives genius—appropriately named Wick—and Rami Jaber’s The Prince, a mysterious soul who claims to be a prince in a Middle Eastern country and who seems to have a plan and an answer for every riddle that is tossed their way. They need Brosnan’s Pace because they don’t like the comparison, but they are kind of like modern-day Robin Hoods, Ringo does not care for any moniker that involves the word “hood.” But they steal from the rich and deliver hope to the poor in the form of funds and supplies.
This time out, they want to rob Roth’s Schultz because he’s in bed with the leaders of a terrorist-sponsoring country in the middle east… i.e., where our prison is located. That gold in the vault at the bottom of the Middle Eastern prison, that’s going to sponsor terrorism and The Misfits hope to stop it. Pace seems one thing… gold. Always worrying that he has a different agenda than the rest of them is a constant concern, but his expertise is worth the risk.
Toss in the mix Pace’s daughter (you’ll have to see the movie to see how she figures in), Hope (Hermione Corfield). She too is altruistic, but she is her father’s daughter.
Directing this whole affair is a man who used to be the king of action cinema, but judging by The Misfits, he hasn’t missed a step in that department, Renny Harlin (Cliffhanger). He hasn’t had a hit in some time, but once possessing a flair, that directing signature doesn’t fade. At least it doesn’t with Harlin. The Misfits is crisp, the action is sharp, and he has impeccably captured that tone made famous in films such as Ocean’s 11. This is a patchwork crew, put together for an impossible task. Sound familiar?
Harlin co-wrote the script with Robert Henny and Kurt Wimmer, and it contains a number of the common tropes in this milieu. That’s doesn’t take away from the story as it is actually quite interesting and easy on the eyes with its locations that span from the Middle Eastern desert to Dubai to a fictional Middle Eastern country that rises like an Oasis in the desert. There’s also a nice beginning sequence in Los Angeles where Pace breaks out of jail and this entire team is first introduced.
The issue with The Misfits is that it is too much like an Ocean’s 11 and doesn’t attempt to forge new territory with any kind of panache from Harlin and his creative brain trust. The father-daughter dynamic is actually the most interesting part of this entire endeavor. Watching Brosnan trying to makeup for past sins with his daughter is endearing. Her reaction to him and the potential for a warming of this cold war is what holds The Misfits together and keeps it from being completely formulaic.
The actors have a ball, that cannot be denied.
Brosnan is right at home as the suave wild card who is either out for himself, seeks to reconnect with his daughter or someone simply who sees gold and doesn’t care what he has to do to put it in his hot little hands. His every bit as smooth and sexy as he was as 007 and Remington Steele. In fact, it gave me an idea. There needs to be a between Daniel Craig and the next guy 007 movie. Might I suggest a Never Say Never Again type flick where Brosnan is brought back as an older and wiser, but still slick as all get-up, Bond. Just a thought. But I digress.
The Irish actor carries this thing. He is clearly the leader of this rag-tag group. It is a collection of souls that has been quite successful before he came along. But there is something about Pace that elevates the skill set of the crew and watching that relationship develop is actually quite interesting.
Cannon has a ball too as the narrator and Ringo. His 10 minute rant on the Beatles drummer and why he is the band’s true MVP will be played ad nauseum by Ringo fans out there. Sometimes Cannon can overplay his hand as an actor, even as a host, but in this he is firmly in his lane and manages to stay there over the course of the film, which is perfect for the tone.
Chung is perfect. She plays it cool but is also not one who you would want to mess with in the slightest. Corfield plays the daughter with a bit of a daddy issue, but she is driven by her own passions for making the world a better place and making the uber-wealthy play their part in bettering the planet.
Angelo is a breath of fresh air as Wick. His love of explosives is documented back to his youth and the actor nails what is set up in the past as the present. Sure, he’s grown, but he is, at his soul, still that little boy having fun with firecrackers.
Roth could have chewed the scenery as a baddie, but he plays it relatively cool. Sure, he gets frustrated. Who wouldn’t. He has a personal vendetta against Pace that permeates the entire film and watching these two duel without ever even being the same room is rather fun.
The Misfits is an enjoyable, light, summer fun ride. Like cotton candy once it’s completed you will never think of it again. It is slick, looks sharp, and cool. But it too often falls into unoriginal tropes that left us wanting more from an action director who is capable of greatness. It’s OK. But had the potential to be great.
They leave the door open for a sequel. I actually hope they make one and learn the lessons of the first one (however somewhat small) and come back with a killer second flick as the adventures of The Misfits continues.
Grade: B-