MOVIE REVIEW - Lockout

New this week, is the Sci-Fi action thriller with a sense of humor, Lockout starring Guy Pearce.

Lockout takes place in the year 2079. The world has started building maximum security prisons in space. There, the inmates are put into a coma-like state. What this does, is insure peace, and quiet, and not abuse, or violence as older prisons on earth. In our story, the President of the United States' beautiful young daughter is visiting the prison called M-S-1. She is on a humanitarian mission there.

Well, you can imagine that it all goes wrong, and there is a major security breach. Hostages are taken, and she is marooned up there. She is the only thing that stands in the way of the U.S. blowing it out of the sky. But obviously, the President wants his daughter back so they come up with a plan. Which is to send up Special Agent Snow, (Pearce), to rescue her. Snow has legal troubles of his own as he is set up for incarceration himself. But he is the man for the job, all agree. So off Snow goes.

Far-fetched? You bet, and that's why the running humor is so effective in this movie. In the past they have tried to make movies like this straight, and on the level. But they really don't work, and become running jokes over time. The snappy dialogue and really fun script prevent you or the movie makers from taking this too seriously, and that makes it work. Pearce is great as the sarcastic, bad boy Snow. I really like Guy Pearce. I wish he made more movies.

In all honesty, pay NO attention to the supporting cast, as it is marginal at best. This is Pearce's show and it should be. He creates a really fun character that over time develops a real nice chemistry with his co-star Maggie Grace as the daughter. And you do start to cheer for them. Her performance gets better was this movie goes on. I was a bit worried early on in this movie, as I thought she was horrible in the early scenes. But she recovers.

Is Lockout great? No, but it's plenty fun for 90 minutes. It is forgettable in the long run, and will be on TNT every weekend in about 2 years as it has that kind of look. But for a quick getaway to the flicks? It's do-able.

Lockout. Could have been a dud, but in the end, it's fun.