The pairing of Denzel Washington and Mark Wahlberg is the only inspired idea of 2 Guns, an absurdly contrived, vaguely comedic adaptation of the graphic novels by Steven Grant. The movie could have been an uncontested disaster –much in the vein of R.I.P.D.– but the easygoing chemistry between the laid-back pair ensures there is always something to watch on screen.
Bobby (Washington) and Stig (Wahlberg) are undercover agents –for the DEA and the Navy, respectively- planning to rob a drug lord’s financial institution. Not only are they not aware of each other’s real agenda, turns out the bank has far more money than expected, most of which belongs to the CIA. Double crossed by their agencies and on the run from people with far more resources, Bobby and Stig must patch their shattered relationship and figure out who turn them into scapegoats.
2 Guns is plagued with complications, until at some point you just stop caring. Directed by Icelandic filmmaker Baltasar Kormakur (Contraband), the film only succeeds in the depiction of the relationship between Bobby –a long wolf- and Stig –an utterly gregarious guy-. The action scenes are average at best, and even Paula Patton’s gratuitous nudity barely registers. It certainly doesn’t work as an indictment of America’s war on drugs, although it flirts with the idea of being one.
For the first two acts, I had hopes 2 Guns may pull out from the clusterfuck. In the end, the Washington-Wahlberg chemistry succumbs to the senseless intrigue. The Casablanca-like ending suggests the possibility of a sequel. 2 Guns may have a future as a buddy-cop franchise, but they’ll have to streamline the plot considerably.
Two and a half confused prairie dogs.