GUNNER (2024)

GUNNER (2024) is an action-thriller film directed by Dimitri Logothetis, written by Gary Scott Thompson, with the main cast including Luke Hemsworth as Lee Gunner - a former soldier - with Morgan Freeman, Mykel Shannon Jenkins, Yulia Klass, and two child actors Grant Feely and Connor DeWolfe. The main content revolves around the journey to rescue his two sons Luke and Travis.

Lee Gunner takes his children camping to mend their relationship. In the forest, they unexpectedly discover a large-scale drug trafficking gang led by Dobbs (played by Mykel Shannon Jenkins), under the protection of "boss" Kendrick Ryker (Morgan Freeman). When the two boys are kidnapped, Lee Gunner is forced to confront the dangerous criminal organization alone to rescue his children.

 Luke Hemsworth portrays the image of a father - a seasoned soldier, with classic action scenes but lacking sharpness in special effects. He wears the traditional "hero" shirt, using military skills to fight against criminals. Morgan Freeman as Kendrick Ryker, although his appearance is short, contributes to the drama. The film's strength is the nostalgic action spirit, creating a feeling like 80's, 90's movies with a determined main character and tense confrontation situations. The pacing of the film is not long, some fighting scenes are still satisfying if you ignore the special effects issue. However, GUNNER also faces many limitations. Most critics rate the special effects (CGI) as lacking in reality, especially the gunfire and inappropriate background music, making the action feel "flat". In addition, the script is quite old, predictable, lacking the necessary depth and surprises - making many scenes considered cliche.

On Rotten Tomatoes, the film only received 2 stars from critics, while the viewer score is around 65%
Regarding acting, Luke Hemsworth received praise for his good performance in the main role, despite being limited by the film's content. Morgan Freeman, although appearing less, still showed his "veteran" temperament. Mykel Shannon Jenkins made a stable impression as the villain Dobbs.
In conclusion, GUNNER is an action film that intends to revive the traditional "lone hero" style, suitable for weekend entertainment, not demanding too much. However, if you are looking for a work with depth, modern effects and a tight script, this film may disappoint you a bit. The film is suitable for those who love the role of a reckless character, not afraid to ignore technical limitations to enjoy the "bloody" action atmosphere.