Release Date:
03/27/2009
Directed by: Renny Harlin
The Skinny: A routine night on the beat leads Detective Danny Fisher (WWE's John Cena) into a chance encounter with the notorious Aidan Gillen (Miles Jackson) and his girlfriend after a robbery. Fisher apprehends the criminal mastermind at the expense of his lady friend who dies in the chase. A year later, Gillen springs himself from prison and kidnaps Fisher's girlfriend, promising to exact his revenge unless the hero cop successfully completes 12 challenges and feats of strength.
The Good: The sight of a professional wrestler's name in the cast may have you thinking "disaster," but Cena actually fits the role well. Sure, the plot takes a meatheaded approach to police investigation, opting to bullrush a singular hulked-up cop across all of New Orleans rather than putting the region on high alert. But, if you can look past the obvious "Why the hell didn't they just do that?" kind of moments, you'll be entertained—at least a little bit.
The Bad: Renny Harlin's choice to rehash the hidden-explosives-somewhere-in-the-city plot from Die Hard With a Vengeance and the out-of-control public transportation vehicles from Speed makes 12 Rounds seem boringly all-too-familiar. The action feels forced and some sequences could've used a few more hours in the CG department. And, while we hate to rag on hotties, Ashley Scott turns in a pretty forgettable performance as Fisher's kidnapped girlfriend. Luckily, we have photos to help us remember her quality work.
He Tells All! John Cena explains why all of his movie wives get kidnapped and how he overcame his fear of heights to jump out of helicopters and hang off the side of buildings.
Theater, DVD, or TNT in five years? A great showcase of New Orleans with some serviceable action makes this ripe for home viewing.
The Skinny: A routine night on the beat leads Detective Danny Fisher (WWE's John Cena) into a chance encounter with the notorious Aidan Gillen (Miles Jackson) and his girlfriend after a robbery. Fisher apprehends the criminal mastermind at the expense of his lady friend who dies in the chase. A year later, Gillen springs himself from prison and kidnaps Fisher's girlfriend, promising to exact his revenge unless the hero cop successfully completes 12 challenges and feats of strength.
The Good: The sight of a professional wrestler's name in the cast may have you thinking "disaster," but Cena actually fits the role well. Sure, the plot takes a meatheaded approach to police investigation, opting to bullrush a singular hulked-up cop across all of New Orleans rather than putting the region on high alert. But, if you can look past the obvious "Why the hell didn't they just do that?" kind of moments, you'll be entertained—at least a little bit.
The Bad: Renny Harlin's choice to rehash the hidden-explosives-somewhere-in-the-city plot from Die Hard With a Vengeance and the out-of-control public transportation vehicles from Speed makes 12 Rounds seem boringly all-too-familiar. The action feels forced and some sequences could've used a few more hours in the CG department. And, while we hate to rag on hotties, Ashley Scott turns in a pretty forgettable performance as Fisher's kidnapped girlfriend. Luckily, we have photos to help us remember her quality work.
He Tells All! John Cena explains why all of his movie wives get kidnapped and how he overcame his fear of heights to jump out of helicopters and hang off the side of buildings.
Theater, DVD, or TNT in five years? A great showcase of New Orleans with some serviceable action makes this ripe for home viewing.