AMERICAN ASSASSIN REVIEW

It's the movie where you don't see an assassin or The States. Your protagonist (Dylan O’Brien) Mitch Rapp is neither a spy nor an assassin. I am guessing he belongs to the CIA but he doesn't really follow their orders either. Actually, the entire film is based on the fact that he fails to follow orders.

The film quickly gives you a backdrop to protagonist's sad story without resulting in any emotional attachment with Mitch Rapp. Rapp's girlfriend turned fiance dies even before they get to drink to their celebration. The sudden terrorist attack drives Mitch into a frozen state of mind where he only cares about taking revenge. Sudden, 18 months later he has turned into a capable CIA agent (according to movie's title an assassin) without any formal training and manages to even get in touch with the terrorist cell that is responsible for his fiance's death.

The story gives Mitch nothing that he aimed to do in the beginning, he doesn't kill the man responsible, he joins the CIA gets dragged all over following a man he has no personal vendetta against, ends up saving a man he didn't really care about and becomes the hero, he didn't really set out to become. As if it wasn't enough that they failed to make us feel sorry or happy for Mitch, they dropped more relationships and characters that we know nothing about. Stan Hurley (Michael Keaton) an ex-navy seal who Rapp despises, still defies orders for and runs across town to save. Ghost (Taylor Kitsch) who has little to no scenes in the film turns out to be the lead antagonist and has deep emotional issues with Stan that reflect on to Rapp. Annika (Shiva Negar) a spy who he hardly knew or had any conversations with dies in vain and makes Rapp want to avenge her death.

Dylan O'Brien has been burdened with all aspects of the film, to maintain the emotional connection with the audience, to carry out all the action sequences and to drag the story towards its clumsy end. Which he manages with his acting talent and good looks. By the time you reach the end even the characters have given up since it seemed like the Ghost and Mich's fight (climax) hardly lasted a minute.

The casting is the only reasons why anyone should make an effort to watch the movie. Dylan O'Brien, Michael Keaton, Taylor Kitsch have done their job commendably if only you see them separately. If you are Vince Flynn fanatic, you are just going to hate the film since it explains almost nothing.

Verdict- **- Dylan O'Brien - the saving grace for American assassin. Series seems to have ended right at the beginning.

#Hollywood