Wahlberg and Berry add sizzle to ‘The Union’
Say it ain’t so! Mark Wahlberg playing – I can’t believe I’m writing this – a Jersey guy? What’s up with that, Boston Marky? Truthfully, it’s kinda refreshing. And it results in one of his best action pictures in recent memory. But sadly, “The Union” doesn’t always get it together.
The Netflix offering is draggy, cliched and tonally schizoid, caught in a cinematic purgatory between tongue-in-cheek comedy and straight-up espionage thriller. Yet, Wahlberg is excellent at emulating what can best be described as a real-life Emmet from “The LEGO Movie.” You know, the intellectually challenged, dronish construction worker swept up in a world of intrigue by a femme fatale in the person of Wyldstyle.
That’s “The Union” to a T. Just substitute the latter with Halle Berry’s rogue agent Roxanne Hall. In fact, with her vinyl catsuit and chic, two-toned hairstyle, Berry bears more than a passing resemblance to Wyldstyle.
To continue the analogy, Berry’s fellow Oscar-winner, J.K. Simmons is a reasonable facsimile of Morgan Freeman’s Vitruvius, the sage graybeard determined to convert Wahlberg’s clueless Mike McKenna into a Master Builder.
Wow! Writers Joe Barton and David Guggenheim must have watched “The LEGO Movie” so many times they allowed it to become part of their creative subconscious. But I digress. If it’s entertaining, who cares if most of the ideas are retreads? Just sit back and enjoy the surprisingly great chemistry between Berry and Wahlberg as star-crossed lovers from Paterson, N.J.
In high school, they were the Jack and Rose of the senior prom. But fate took them in opposite directions – until now. A blown mission – depicted in the film’s cold opening – has left a giant hole in the ranks of the Union, a sorta Impossible Mission Force (Is there anything original in this thing?) led by Simmons’ Tom Brennan. If there’s any hope of getting back in the game, the Union needs a “nobody.” Why is never clear; nor is most anything connected with the loosey-goosey plot.
Forget that for now. Because what matters is that Roxanne volunteers Emmet, er, Mike, as the perfect patsy possessing the correct amount of brawn and moldability. Recruiting him is easy. All she needs do is walk into the dive bar he calls home in Paterson, reignite long dormant flames and spin an appropriate Springsteen tune. Easy-peasy!
The hard part is turning Mike into a lethal man-of-war in a matter of days. Cue the training montage. Of course, Mike is such a blank slate that he doesn’t know to stay to the left while driving in London. Yikes!!! This is going to take more work than originally thought. But sure enough, when it’s time for the shit – what shit I can’t tell because the plot is that confusing – to go down, Emmet, er, Mike, is ready to go.
You can pretty much predict the rest, as red herrings, chases, drive-by shootings and matricide ensue. Most of the film’s back half revolves around a trio of interests all fighting over possession of a metallic briefcase containing some gadget we never see. It eventually evolves into a game of hot potato, with the attaché changing hands with such regularity you completely lose track.
What keeps it alive is the great chemistry between Wahlberg and Berry. Their banter and sexy cooing is irresistible. So much so you wish journeyman director Julian Farino had given us more of them and less of the third-rate Bond antics. To his credit, he sure knows how to stage exciting, edge-of-your-seat action scenes that put Wahlberg and Berry through a physical wringer.
As for the supporting characters, only Jackie Earle Haley shines as the Q of the piece, a gizmo guru at the controls of the high-tech gadgetry abetting Mike and Roxanne. Simmons, on the other hand, largely phones it in, merely mimicking his character from the Farmers Insurance commercials. Yes, he’s “seen just about everything.” Unfortunately, so have we.
Bottom line: Is “The Union” worth your time? Depends. As I said, it can get tedious and derivative. You’re better off simply re-watching “The LEGO Movie.” But if you like this sort of cheesy action junk, knock yourself out. I’ve seen worse, lots worse. Plus, it has Wahlberg. His appeal is undeniable. And sometimes that’s more than enough, even if he IS playing a guy from New Jersey. At least he’s not a Yankees fan!
Movie review
The Union
Rated: PG-13 for sequences of strong violence, suggestive material, strong language
Cast: Mark Wahlberg, Halle Berry, J.K. Simmons, Jackie Earle Haley, Dana Delaney and Jessica De Gouw
Director:
Julian Farino
Writers: Joe Barton and David Guggenheim
Runtime: 106 minutes
Where: In theaters and on Netflix on Aug. 16
Grade: B-
