Movie Review: The Marine 4: Moving Target

The Marine 4: Moving Target is chock full of action nothingness.

Review by Matt Cummings

It's probably not going too far to state that there are many action films that just don't get the meaning of the word. Sure, they have pretty explosions and the requisite slow-motion of people fully engaged in their weapon as they slaughter their enemy. But real action - something that's shot with the audience in mind and actually helps in the telling of the story - are few and far between. Unfortunately, the WWE sequel The Marine 4: Movie Target is not this; in fact, its forgettable action is equaled only by its terrible acting and overbearing patriotism.

Starring WWE wrestlers Mike "The Miz" Mizanin (who calls themselves such things?) and Summer Rae, the two basically chase each other as Dawes (Rae) sends her team after Jack Carter (Mizanin), who harbors a computer expert with some damning evidence. Blah, blah, blah: the 'plot' is just an excuse to bludgeon the viewer with far too many stunts and not enough worthwhile character development. Looking like a PreViz "proof of concept" or something from Lifetime, Marine 4 does nothing to satisfying our need for quality action. Sure, there's plenty of shoot-outs, vehicle and rpg rage, and enough fake blood spilled to open a Hollywood blood bank, but after awhile I actually got bored with watching Director William Kaufman's malaise. He and Writer Alan McElroy do nothing to elevate these characters, or put them in any believable harm. Marine 4 drips with enough patriotism that it becomes nearly impossible to appreciate the effort to recognize the work our men and women do in the field. Mizanin makes for a decent action star, but he's more in the same league as some of the driftwood from The Expendables franchise (another action series that doesn't know how to sell its incredible assets). Everyone here is blacken-in-the-box forgettable, along with Rae who is taken down fairly quick before Mizanin goes after the primary baddie (Josh Blacker). Pure action films like The Raid separate themselves from tripe such as The Marine 4: Moving Target in every way imaginable. This one is worth neither your time nor attention. Discuss this review with fellow SJF fans on Facebook. On Twitter, follow us at @SandwichJohnFilms, and follow author Matt Cummings at @mfc90125.