Alan Dee’s movie preview: 2 Guns has high-calibre stars but goes off at half-cock

Denzel Washington and Mark Wahlberg in a cop drama? Now that sounds like a grown-up movie.
2 Guns stars Denzel Washington and Mark Wahlberg2 Guns stars Denzel Washington and Mark Wahlberg
2 Guns stars Denzel Washington and Mark Wahlberg

Both stars have built up a body of work that includes a whole string of intense, conflicted law enforcement officers and others who live on the edge and don’t play by the rules. The two of them together should be a real tough treat, shouldn’t it?

Hang on, it’s a comedy. An action comedy. What, like Bad Boys? Say it ain’t so...

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2 Guns finds our two heroes, members of separate crimebusting teams, both working undercover in the same Mexican narcotics syndicate.

2 Guns stars Denzel Washington and Mark Wahlberg2 Guns stars Denzel Washington and Mark Wahlberg
2 Guns stars Denzel Washington and Mark Wahlberg

Guess what? Neither has any idea that the other is one of good guys, too.

It starts getting complicated when they are involved in a heist that nets millions.

They think the money belongs to the mobsters, but actually it belongs to yet another government agency and now everybody is after the duo.

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As you would expect, they have to put their mutual mistrust to one side and team up in the face of the deadly threat bearing down on both of them.

You’ll know all you need to know about the level this is pitched at when you learn that Owen Wilson and Vince Vaughn were attached to the lead roles in the early stages of the development process.

It’s enjoyable enough, there are plenty of gags and bangs, but it has to go down as a missed opportunity when you look at the talent on the table.

The original Kick-Ass was a sweet if not spectacular twist on the superhero genre, but everyone went mad for it so we Kick-Ass 2.

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Jim Carrey joins the cast as geeky crimefighter Aaron Taylor-Johnson and pint-sized colleague Chloe Grace Moretz try to return to normal lives after their adventures in the first film, but are soon sucked back into the weird world of wannabe superheroes.

The violence is cranked up from the first film, the dialogue is darker and dirtier, and the charm that helped carry the original through is largely replaced by formula thrills.

Cleared for landing this week is Planes, which is basically Cars with wings, a family-friendly animation heavy on the anthropomorphic machines.

Our hero is a plucky crop duster wants to take part in greatest round-the-world air race in history, but he’s not exactly built for endurance and he’s scared of heights. Can he do it? No prizes for guessing...

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Unusually there isn’t a stellar cast of famous names adding their voices to the party, although there are character cameos by the likes of John Cleese and Val Kilmer.

The big name here, of course, is Disney, so you know exactly what you’re getting.

Jim Carrey has refused to take part in promoting Kick-Ass 2 because he believes the finished film is too violent.

Watch the video report to hear from fellow cast members Chloe Moretz and Chris Mintz-Plasse and director Jeff Wadlow.

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