In an offbeat blend of explosive action, sharp humor, and political commentary, “Freelance”, an action-comedy film released in 2023 and Directed by Pierre Morel, who is known for Taken and Peppermint, features an odd trio consisting of John Cena, Alison Brie, and Juan Pablo Raba. While Freelance hasn’t gotten a lot of attention from critics or at the box office, the film features a solid and strange premise along with strong performances and a captivating tone that have held people’s attention.
Summary of The Plot
The movie revolves around Mason Pettits, a character played by John Cena. He is a retired U.S. Special Forces operative, and after one of his missions went horribly wrong, he is left broken, both physically and emotionally, forcing him to retire. In the civilian world, he attempts to work as a lawyer, but the job doesn’t do much to alleviate the adrenaline fueled instincts cultivated during his military years.
Mason’s chance at redemption comes when his former military buddy, Sebastian Earle (Christian Slater), offers a position in private security. The assignment: protect a journalist, Claire Wellington, played by Alison Brie, as she journeys to the fictional country of Paldonia in South America. Claire’s objective is to obtain a rare, detailed interview with the country’s authoritarian ruler, Juan Venegas (Juan Pablo Raba), who is not known to give interviews.
Things take a dramatic turn almost immediately as they arrive. During Claire’s interview with Venegas, a brutal military coup is set in motion by elements from the president’s own faction. Mason, Claire, and President Venegas have no choice but to escape together into the jungle with armed mercenaries and rebels led by the brutal Colonel Jan Koehorst (Marton Csokas) hot on their tail.
What follows is arguably an impossible blend of betrayal, survival, and odd friendship. As the unlikely trio struggle with the unforgiving wilderness, they expose a tangled conspiracy of political deception, betrayal, and foreign meddling. Each character must come to terms with their past and learn to trust each other, no matter how fundamentally different their goals are. For Claire, it’s the opportunity of a lifetime; for Mason, it’s redemption, and for Venegas it’s to stay alive and regain power.
Tone and Themes
“Freelance” combines an action comedy with light political satire. It has themes centered around loyalty, identity, redemption, and truth. Freelance also examines the morally ambiguous intersections of media, military power, and politics. Although it doesn’t linger deeply on issues, it manages to capture contemplative moments amidst the chaos.
Despite serious subject matter, the tone remains lighthearted and whimsical. Much of the humor derives from cultural clashes between the characters, such as the clash between Mason’s militaristic bluntness and Claire’s idealistic journalism, or Venegas’s strangely charming yet dictatorial persona. While some jokes are poorly placed, the film’s leads’ chemistry makes up for it.
Character Interactions
Freelance’s core trio is where the movie strongly excels. John Cena plays Mason and impressively uses his physical stature and comedic skills to provide life to the character. Although the emotional journey of his character is rather straightforward, the process itself is quite engaging, especially with a balance of deadpan soldier and a frustrated every-man.
Alison Brie adds depth as Claire, the principled journalist who begins as a career-chained disengagement and slowly experiences a personal awakening amidst the disorder around her. Claire is a part that is redeemed only partially by Brie’s signature intelligence and charm since, for much of the film, the writing does not grant her the nuance she merits.
Juan Pablo Raba arguably delivers the most interesting performance as Venegas, eclipsing the others with a mix of charm, menace, and vulnerability. His character is a tyrant but, not a one-dimensional creature. By the end of the story, Venegas transforms into a rather compassionate character, especially in light of the tragedy that unfolds as he reveals the intricacies of his rule and personal losses.
Supporting characters like Earle (Christian Slater) and Koehorst (Marton Csokas) provide additional elements of treachery and ruthless cunning. Both artists add veteran weight to their characters which helps elevate scenes that might otherwise feel mundane.
Direction and Visuals
Director Pierre Morel remains within his comfort zone in the film, delivering fast-paced action sequences with dynamic camera work. The film includes several shootouts, chase sequences and moments of surviving in the jungle, all serving as mini-stories that propel the narrative. While the action is competent, it lacks the tight intensity and innovation that defined his earlier films, like Taken.
Cinematographer Thierry Arbogast captures the lush jungle setting beautifully, giving the film a vibrant and colorful aesthetic. The dynamic interplay between Paldonia’s urban disarray and the jungle’s unruly wilderness is quite striking.
Music and Score
Elliot Leung and Geoff Zanelli’s composition mixes conventional action cues with whimsical accents that suit the film’s multifaceted character. Although the score lacks distinctiveness, it does enhance the pacing and energy during the scenes.
Reception and Critical Response
Freelance received a mixed but mostly negative review. The film currently carries a 5.5 rating on IMDb and has been critiqued for its cliché story along with a fragmented focus, and a lack of depth in its writing. A meager 11% of critics rated it positively, although audience reception on Rotten Tomatoes offered a more favorable 78% rating.
The general consensus suggests that the film failed to explore rich themes and multitudes of intriguing characters. Conversely, some appreciated its tone as a lighthearted and simple action comedy that effectively avoided serious scenarios. The film relied heavily on the charm of the cast, fast pacing, and shallow foundations instead of creativity or depth.
Concluding Remarks
Though Freelance may not bring anything fresh to the action-comedy sphere, it certainly provides an enjoyable form of escapism. Its constantly moving parts, amusing humor, and overall lighthearted action allows it to resonate with fans of effortless cinema. John Cena’s versatility as a performer continues to shine, while Alison Brie and Juan Pablo Raba provide commendable support in a film that lacks greatness, but also doesn’t fall completely flat.
While not particularly remarkable, Freelance has just enough that makes the experience enjoyable, if entirely forgettable, which makes it fitting for a casual movie night.
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