AMERICAN ASSASSIN

Okay, let’s start checking things off the list: protagonist = damaged goods with a deceased love and while psychologically unstable his moral compass points due north. Tick. Harsh drill sergeant type who pushes all protagonists' buttons and whom you think hates his/her guts but he’s actually just making him/her a better operative. Plus he’s really good at telling them what a piece of shit they are yet is oddly motivating. Tick. Task force leader who keeps throwing protagonist in the deep end despite others telling them not to. Tick. Antagonist = always one step ahead. Knows all their moves. His identity is a big reveal to those on screen and someone has a personal connection. Tick. Obligatory double-cross. Tick. I just described about 50 other movies.

Aside from some cool hand-to-hand combat sequences, surprising gore and brutality, and an undercooked leading man, there’s nothing to separate ‘American Assassin’ from the many, many, many almost identical productions out there. This movie is doomed to be on a lot of people's “must watch” lists, but is constantly bumped further and further down by said list in favour of better or even just more enjoyable movies, until the end of time.