DEA Agent Anthony Van Owen (Cam Gigandet) gets more than he bargained for when he runs a bust in Tijuana that leaves his partner dead and a bad guy with a deadly deal that could lead to bigger fish. At the same time, on a nice yacht, retired CIA operative Nick Falconi (Tom Berenger) gets a visit from an old friend, Larusso (Jeff Fahey), carrying a bag with money and an offer: take out three key targets in the interest of national security. As ‘that thing in Miami’ hangs over Nick’s head, he’s got no choice. Two men on the same mission are soon to collide, but there are secrets in this game that change everything.
Directed by Tibor Takács, from a story by non other than Michael Paré, Black Warrant is a fairly standard action thriller, culled from the roots of many, many others in the genre, but that doesn’t make it a pass. While there is much that is familiar, the film is led by solid direction and plenty of good performances, most especially Berenger who works harder than the movie needs him to.
While the old-man-with-a-gun trope is more than played out, the idea of Nick Falconi works to the film’s advantage, the script making good use of his aged appearance in keeping invisible to those who might suspect otherwise. A guy like him with a golf bag over his shoulder goes mostly unseen. Berenger has for more than forty years–in big budget and straight to video–been a powerful presence, and remains so here. I like just about everything he does here, despite the sometimes awkward funneling of his use in the script.
I think that’s the real problem here, Black Warrant unable to really level up the tension or action, the film sort of sitting on a simmer rather than a raging boil. The characters are there and the story has legs but there’s little motivation keeping it driving forward. They throw in some romance and a few snarky one liners, but there’s no weight to keep it feeling impactful. The twist that does come might seem telegraphed a mile away but at least feels somewhat earned.
Still, it should have been more. Berenger seems to think so, you can tell in his performance when he delivers the sting, but it’s unfortunately dampened by a lackluster take on the reveal, and a set-piece that is nothing if not contrived.
Either way, a film like Black Warrant isn’t trying to reinvent the wheel, it’s looking to spin it as often as it can over ruts in the well worn road. Takács has a good eye for action and pacing, but is only able to get so much out of the production. It does what it intends, even if it does little more than check the boxes. However, with a save by Berenger, and a brief but authentic turn from Helena Haro as a woman caught in the mess, Black Warrant has enough traction to be worth a look.