'Fortress' Review: It isn't 'Die hard' but Bruce Willis' thriller passes for a watch
Bruce Willis is a bit of a sphinx. It's hard to read any emotions from the man and his last few flicks, 'Apex', 'Breach' and 'Deadlock' have been barely watchable. 'Fortress' isn't that above-average movie and definitely isn't that actual blockbuster hit he's looking for, but is a better watch than his last three movies. It also marks his third consecutive release in a month and stars Chad Michael Murray, Jesse Metcalfe, and Shannon Doherty in key roles.
Director James Cullen Bressack weaves a thriller with generous doses of action with a rather thin plot. This works though, especially when you consider the VoD release doesn't need schmancy set work or even some 'Die Hard' style effects although this one's got a limited theatrical release. Willis plays Robert Michaels, an ex-CIA agent with a love for the world 'Complicated' and is now living his retirement life in solitude at a hidden resort for ex-spies. Along comes estranged son, Paul (Metcalfe), a cryptocurrency entrepreneur, who's met with great success, but is now in trouble and wants Robert's help.
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The action doesn't wait long to get started. Paul's tagged and tracked by a bunch of criminals led by Balzary (Murray) with a merc leader Ulysses (Ser’Darius Blain) with a crack unit who break open the rather claimed secure location without breaking into a sweat. The onus is on Robert and Paul to save the day, and the dad takes charge of rat-a-tat and bang-bang even as the son tries to process the attack. Willis isn't the sort of guy he was in 'Deadlock' sitting and calling the shots, but he's actually a more reminding version of his 'G.I.Joe: Retaliation' character Joseph Colton.
The screentime for the veteran actor is limited again, but he makes the most of it showing off his acting chops. Doherty's role begins only midway through the film, but Murray deserved credit for playing a baddie with absolute panache. He was weirdly delightful in 'Riverdale' and this role sees him just notch up that sinister level a rung higher. 'Fortress' is an action thriller alright, but leans more to the suspense rather than be a mindless mayhem flick. There are shades of 'Live Free or Die Hard', and with the movie actually being a trilogy, there's a lot to expect in the upcoming sequels.
Perhaps the sequels will be a bit of an improvement. 'Fortress' offers enough promise for the audience to return back with some expectations when the next installment releases (It was filmed alongside 'Fortress'). This is a passable flick that can be watched once.
'Fortress' is available on VoD and can be watched in cinemas near you.