22 Bullets
After being left for dead with 22 bullets peppering his body, retired gangster Charly (Reno) makes it his mission to seek revenge on those who have done him harm; a vendetta made more challenging by the attentions of a police officer (Foïs) who is equally as determined to bring him down. But when the trail leads to an unexpected— and very close—source, Charly finds his loyalties severely tested…
After the bombastic opening sequence, 22 Bullets quickly loses its energy and momentum, and slips into familiar genre territory: a hitman with a heart of gold; a hard-bitten detective battling her own demons; and a soliloquising pantomime villain. High production values, great visuals and an assured, if by-the-book, performance from Reno prevent this from sinking completely into the mire, but otherwise it’s another cliched and forgettable entry into the overstuffed hitman stable. 2 stars
Nikki Baughan
