The Losers Review

Based on a DC Vertigo comic series of the same name and directed by Sylvain White. The film features a cool cast with Jeffrey Dean Morgan (Watchmen's The Comedian), Chris Evans (The Fantastic Four's Human Torch), Idirs Elba (BBC 1 drama Luther), Zoe Saldana (2009's Star Trek) and Jason Patric (The Lost Boys). The film sees the five main protagonists Clay, Roque, Jensen, Cougar and Pooch as soldiers set up by the villain Max. Things go wrong and The Losers are supposed to die in a helicopter explosion but they never get on board and innocent children are killed instead, seeking revenge for the deaths of the children and for being set up the team go off the grid and end up starting a war with the CIA while trying to find the identity of and bring down Max.
"So… you, uh, ladies liking the angle of the dangle?"-Jensen

First off I feel I mention that I have never read the comic at all so there will be comparison talk in my review. I'm not sure if my not reading it is a good or bad thing really.
The film has a fairly basic and hardly original plot where a group of soldiers are ordered to do something a bit questionable, refuse and are set up. They were "lucky" to a degree as a rather callous villain wanted them to do the mission and head to their evacuation point where they would be blown up. Instead they are not on board the chopper when it goes up but several little kids are and long story short they all die. The team decide to play dead too.

The team leader Clay (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) decides to not take this lying down and so he attempts to rally the others to regain access to the U.S. and track down the nefarious Max (Jason Patric) whilst staying under the radar as they are supposed to be dead.
Basic plot aside the film really worked well for me. It had your usual comic book cheesy element but you would obviously expect that and luckily the film didn't take it too far. There was a lot of action which again is something you would want. neigh expect from such a movie. The cast was great, the characters were all fleshed out and played well and the direction and script were all top notch.

I really wasn't feeling Max as the bad guy though. He had your usual ridiculous diabolical scheme that I must admit I'd not seen before in a film and he even had a cliche deformity of some sort. A lot of comic book baddies might where a mask or have scars or something but Max wore a glove and when he eventually takes it off you see what it's been hiding. But I just thought Max was pretty lame! Yes he looked suave and sophisticated, he was smart, articulate, funny and incredibly ruthless in some scenes but he just didn't do it for me as a villain. Maybe that was the point? Not to have your usual evil monster as the antagonist, I don't know as I've not read it and I think Jason Patric really did the role no favour at all. He just seemed a bit out of place really and I think deep down he is the reason I just didn't buy Max.


The rest of the characters and cast were pretty good. I'm a big fan of Idris Elba and Jeffrey Dean Morgan and both guys were pretty cool. I didn't really care for Jensen (Chris Evans) he was your normal joker in the pack. The smart one who just continued to bumble his way through and make a lot of jokes that were more often then not completely unfunny. My love for him did grow though in the scene where he alone attempts to infiltrate a building and gain data. He enters posed as a courier and hilariously walks up to the elevator while singing Don't Stop Believing by Journey, that alone had me in hysterics and as he enters the lift he changes into some office attire and in true comedy fashion the lift happens to stop while he is inside…naked as onlookers gaze in awe. That entire scene was incredibly fun I thought.

It's a shame they didn't go into much detail with the sniper Cougar. I quite liked his character but we really didn't get a chance to see that much of him and that was a shame. Zoe Saldana's character was also a bit under used but that was a good thing I think, the revelation of who she really was is just one of those roll your eyes moments. The kind of thing you worked out a while back but didn't think too much of.

Without going into any spoilers the ending was pretty good. Fast, action packed and cheesy as hell. The effects were a touch shoddy in one particular scene but I let that slide. And the way they leave it hanging clearly means a sequel is on it's way in the near future.

All in all I say this is a very good film. Lots to take away with you I feel, if you like cheese, action, comedy and a wicked cast then The Losers is for you.

4/5