MOVIE REVIEW - Criminal

The star studded, Criminal is new this week.  An action flick for grown-ups.

Criminal is a good old fashioned government gone wrong thriller, that has a great cast and a hint of originality that's become pretty rare these days. This stars Kevin Costner, Gary Oldman, Tommy Lee Jones and a real nice supporting cast that bring it to life nicely without wearing out its welcome checking in a one hour forty five minutes.

It's modern day technology cyber warfare.  A international hacker has cracked the USA code and can control every single aspect of the U.S. nuclear arsenal.  He is demanding cash and freedom from the CIA.  Problem is there is an international nut-job and his gang that also want his program, as he wants to destroy every single nation on earth and start over. 

Problem is, the CIA operative that was dealing with the hacker has been killed, and they have no idea how to proceed.  So they revive an old CIA program that transfers a dead persons memory to a live person, in essence making that person - them again. They transfer the agents memory into Jericho (Costner). He is a complete lunatic or many reasons, some in his control and some not.  He is the one whose brain is the best fit for this risky transfer.  So, will this work, and will he survive and will the world be saved from these crazies?

The star of this movie is Costner.  All of the rest are fine, but you've seen all of them in similar roles. But this is new for Costner.  He is really strong as this crazy, damaged guy, who is in jail, then magically becomes a super CIA agent, with a new identity and that he doesn't understand at all.  This is a complex role that he embraces well, and gives a nice performance.  Sure there are problems here, as this is an April action release, and the national critics are drilling it. But being honest, this is fine.  This will find an audience that will like it, and like seeing some of their favs on screen together.

Criminal.  This could have been really great, but it's not.  But this is not a wasted night at the movies. If you're a fan, go enjoy.