The numbers whatever

If you ever decide to watch this movie, don't worry, get around to it at some point, take your time. The movie won't mind.

We start with John Cusack being unable to shoot a teenage girl, and so the government can't make any use of him any more (you know, when you phrase it like that...). And so he is moved to a numbers station, which sounds impressive because they sound mysterious, but when you see it is just some woman spouting numbers into a microphone, it becomes less impressive. After arriving back on shift, they find out the place has been compromised -

And that's the main problem with this movie. It's exceedingly low key. The attack happens in flashback, we already know the outcome, so the 'attack' is robbed of all tension. It's not like there's a great mystery around it, so we see events unfold that we already know about, and.. yeah... yep, that's what happens. Exactly as we already knew.

- but Cusack and the woman actress I haven't seen before, get around to foiling their evil plans, escaping and have a final confrontation with the villain... you know, if that's all right with you. The movie doesn't want to make any kind of big deal about any of it, the complete lack of tension continues over to the 'how will the heroes win' moments of plan foiling and villain confrontation. It's all very casual and... completely fails to engage the audience at all.

It does keep the cast small (there are more people listed on the cast page than I remember seeing), and it's mainly about the atmosphere of the numbers station itself. Only there isn't one as it's mostly a base under siege movie so the pair aren't in trouble while in the base. And certainly Cusack isn't presenting any sign of acting that makes you think there is any danger.

So yeah, it's an action movie with energy turned down to 2.

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