Mercenaries (2011 film)

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Mercenaries
Mercenaries (2011 film) poster.jpg
Film poster
Directed byParis Leonti
Screenplay byParis Leonti
Produced byLuc Chaudhary
Starring Billy Zane
Robert Fucilla
Rob James-Collier
CinematographyPhilip Robertson
Edited byAnthony Willis
Iain Mitchel
Music byHaim Frank Ilfman [1]
Production
companies
ABC Films
Angry Badger Pictures
Distributed byKaleidoscope/ Lionsgate
Release dates
  • May 2011 (2011-05)(Ibiza)
  • 27 January 2012 (2012-01-27)(United Kingdom)
Running time
90 minutes [2]
CountryUnited Kingdom
LanguagesEnglish
Serbocroatian

Mercenaries is a 2011 British action-adventure war film written and directed by Paris Leonti and starring Billy Zane, Robert Fucilla and Kirsty Mitchell.

Contents

Synopsis

Andy Marlow is an ex-British S.A.S serviceman turned mercenary who is working covertly at an observation post in the Balkans after a military coup has resulted in the assassination of the Prime Minister of Serbia. The coup has been instigated by Olodan Cracovic, the ex-commander of the Croatian Army and wanted war criminal. During the unrest, Olodan’s troops raided the U.S. Embassy and has taken the U.S Ambassador and his aide captives. The decision is taken to send in mercenaries to carry out the top secret rescue.

Marlow and his team are sent into Srebrenica under the cover of darkness. US Armed Forces personnel posing as United Nations peacekeepers are playing a support role, but cannot take part in active operations. Covertly, Andy and his team infiltrate Olodan’s headquarters, taking him captive and releasing the Ambassador and his aide. However the rescue is far from over. Now they are faced with transporting them back to a safe area twenty five miles south where US troops are waiting. With Olodan’s right-hand man in pursuit, their mission takes an unexpected turn. They find themselves outnumbered, outgunned and fighting what could easily be a losing battle. [3]

Cast

Release

The film was set for a limited UK theatrical release date on 27 January 2012. [4] It was announced as one of the official selection of films for the Ibiza Film Festival in 2011, [5] and also had a showing the same year at the Cannes Film Festival. [6] [7]

Reception

Having had several festival showings and been released in Germany, Mercenaries has received many reviews, most of which have been negative. Total Film gave a rating of one of five stars, particularly criticising the production values, "Gunshots sound like they were sampled off a videogame, muzzle flashes make the whole screen flash". [8] David Hughes from Empire gave a similar review, however was not as critical, with a two out of five star rating. He said that the film had sufficient "fire power" but lacked any "substantial plot". [9] Tom Huddleston from TimeOut singled out Rob James-Collier's performance, his accent specifically, saying he was "trying on a Texan accent so hysterically ripe he must have learned it from watching ‘Foghorn Leghorn’ cartoons". Overall he gave a one star rating out of five. [10]

Not all reviews were so universally negative, some reviewers singled out particular actors performances such as Martin Daniel Mcdonagh from The Hollywood News who gave a two out of five star rating, praising Robert Fucilla's performance. [11] Dan Collacott from the online site Close-upFilm, in contrast to the review in TimeOut, said that Rob James-Collier "is the most convincing mercenary of the bunch" [12]

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References

  1. ↑ "AlloCine - Select your country". Screenrush.co.uk. Retrieved 11 August 2016.
  2. ↑ "Projects in development". 19 August 2010. Archived from the original on 19 August 2010. Retrieved 7 June 2020.
  3. ↑ "Kaleidoscope Film Distribution". 19 August 2011. Archived from the original on 19 August 2011. Retrieved 7 June 2020.
  4. ↑ "Tweets with replies by Paris Leonti (@ParisLeonti)". Twitter. 5 March 2011. Retrieved 11 August 2016.
  5. ↑ ":: IBIZA FILM FESTIVAL ::". 27 May 2011. Archived from the original on 27 May 2011. Retrieved 7 June 2020.
  6. ↑ Wiseman, Andreas (9 May 2011). "Kaleidoscope adds Mercenaries to Cannes slate | News | Screen". Screendaily.com. Retrieved 11 August 2016.
  7. ↑ "Cinematic Productions Plc". 11 June 2008. Archived from the original on 11 June 2008. Retrieved 7 June 2020.
  8. ↑ "Mercenaries | GamesRadar". Totalfilm.com. Retrieved 11 August 2016.
  9. ↑ David Hughes (14 October 2015). "Mercenaries Review | Movie - Empire". Empireonline.com. gb. Retrieved 11 August 2016.
  10. ↑ "Mercenaries (2012), directed by Paris Leonti | Film review". Timeout.com. 24 January 2012. Retrieved 11 August 2016.
  11. ↑ Daniel, Martin (26 January 2012). "Mercenaries Review". Thehollywoodnews.com. Retrieved 11 August 2016.
  12. ↑ "Mercenaries (15) | Close-Up Film Review". 30 January 2012. Archived from the original on 30 January 2012. Retrieved 7 June 2020.
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