What’s Aged the Best?
Opening credits; dog-killing revenge motive; Philadelphia setting; character names; evil Danny Glover; R rating
In the discussion (9)
Approx. transcript time · 00:43:11Read transcript
- The opening credits hold up, and Swagger seeking revenge for his murdered dog foreshadows the John Wick series.
- Philadelphia is underused in movies; Wahlberg again wears Eagles gear, apparently kept from Invincible.
- Philadelphia's colonial architecture suits conspiracy thrillers, peaking with Blow Out.
- Boston would fail as an assassination city because escape routes are limited; Philadelphia is judged the right sniper city.
- The name Nick Memphis and the other names hold up, while the villains get bland names like Colonel Johnson; Pena later favored characters with Latino names.
- The 'one dead man talking to another' line is cited as an action staple.
- Evil Danny Glover is a highlight; Lethal Weapon overshadowed his range, and his villain potential went unused for years.
- A favorite line is Glover insisting he is covered and telling them to call the Joint Chiefs.
- Moving to an R rating after Wahlberg signed on was a smart move, since a softer sniper movie cannot work.