Movie Review: Weaponized

Weaponized is the latest in a long line of direct to video science fiction, action, thrillers, and the latest to utterly bore the viewer. I generally try to go into a movie like this with positive thoughts, perhaps low expectations, but a desire to be surprised, a want to like it. You know the old saying, hope for the best but expect the worst. No, this is not exactly the worst, it is more like a non-entity that is forgotten as quickly as it is seen. It dangles some familiar names in front of you and lures you in with the promise of sci-fi action. As you watch, it sinks in that you were duped into watching a commodity rather than a movie. As the credits roll, you struggle to recall just what it was that you watched.



The movie was directed by Timothy Woodward Jr. He is a director/actor who has directed a string of straight to video action/thrillers, none of which I have seen. The one thing they have in common is a few recognizable stars that can be used to sell the title. If Weaponized is an example of his skills, there is nothing particularly special. Although, I guess it could be said that they would be worth checking out in the hopes of finding a little something good in the mix. On the other hand, that may just be too forgiving and optimistic. The screenplay was written by Sean Ryan, who previously collaborated with Woodward on 4Got10 (starring Danny Trejo).

Weaponized is a tale set in the near future and a new wave of terrorism following an attack on the Pentagon, which took the life of Kyle Norris’s (Tom Sizemore). Norris works for a company that develops bio-weapons that allow the user to take over the consciousness of their target. Obviously plenty of military applications, but just as many uses for the unscrupulous. Of course, the latter is what happens here.

Johnny Messner is Detective Walker, an officer of the law who stumbles upon the program, with the help of a professor involved in the experiment (Mickey Rourke). Now that he is aware of the weapon, he and his family have become targets of those who wish to keep the program going. It is up to Walker and the few who believe him to get behind the closed doors and put a stop to the weapon’s use.

Frankly, the concept sounds pretty fascinating. It should feed a thrilling tale of mistaken identities and body jumping. Instead we get a movie that lulls you into a sleepy complacency. The cast seems to be there mainly for the paycheck as none of them seem all that invested in their characters.

Weaponized is an easy movie to avoid. Despite a cast with the likes of Rourke and Michael Pare, it is nowhere near a must see. It is one of those movies where when it ends, you wonder if anyone actually sat down and watched it. I mean, someone had to say this was a movie worthy of release. How could they not see the boredom it induces? Pass.

Not Recommended.