It’s another week, which means it’s time to talk about another Frank Grillo film I guess. This is hardly a joke because it is not an exaggeration to say that Grillo might just be one of the most active actors in Hollywood today. He has already reprised his role in at least seven films during the year 2023. It might be the case that 2024 will be a bit less hectic for him, but usually he has quite a few films that are about to come out.
The most recent of these, Hounds of War, has Grillo teaming up with him on a military themed actioner and the talented action director Issacs Florentine. Whenever there is a chance to witness Grillo and Florentine working together, fans of action cinema should be pleased because the latter has done some amazing DTV action films that have ever been on the video market (or more like streaming services now… Okay I’m old).
Florentine never fails to deliver in action films as showcased in his notable entries like Undisputed 2 (2005) and Ninja: Shadow of a Tear (2013). With such quality work fresh in my mind, I entered Hounds of War expecting quite a lot. Would it match the Florentine’s Undertested films, or have I raised the bar too high?
The short answer? Most definitely it was not going to happen. On the other hand, Hounds of War does have some noteworthy elements that distinguish it in some way. For a start, this film is the most beautiful Florentine film. The breathtaking locations in Malta contribute greatly to this, however it is the camera work of Ericson Core that literally makes Hounds of War different from other films by Florentine, at least visually.
Action enthusiasts may need no introduction of Core’s work; he was the cinematographer for The Fast and the Furious (2001) and Daredevil (2003). He also directed the Point Break (2015) remake. While that movie never bested the original, it did boast a great aesthetic. I was personally apo leased to discover Core’s name in the credits, and his work here pushes Hounds of War above mundane DTV titles.
There’s great synergy between Core and Florentine, and as such the action is clean and crisp. Action scenes are one of the elements that Florentine always delivers well, and he does not disappoint here. The amount of action, however, is not at the level of his best works, but the variety of action sequences such as fight scenes, shootouts, and car chases are commendable. The film never leaves the audience in a ‘blank’ state when looking at the screen and what is happening in the frame.
The main issues with the film are its weak character arcs and a basic beginning and end plot. Even though Grillo does his best while interpretation the lead character, the role is so underwritten that he can only do so much. At least he gets more material than most co stars. The other team members are introduced and there are so little to stress them that when they appear later, there is no emotional investment.
The movie also commences late in the storyline and then rewinds to an earlier event which is never required. The flaw in this method is although it provides for a good way to open the movie, it reduces the suspense because the audience knows Grillo makes it to that point in the latter part of the film.
Fans of martial arts may also be disappointed with the short performances of Joey Ansah, Sedna Blade, and Mark Strange. Both Ansah and Blade display some impressive moves on the screen, but the length of the time Fusako or Strange has on screen is disheartening. However, Strange has a lead role in Kung Fu Games (2024) where his martial artistry can be put to good use. That movie comes is very good and hopefully it gets Strange into bigger roles with time.
Other martial arts actors start making cameo roles in the later parts, like the ever entertaining Mike Moller and the endearing Lee Charles. There isn’t enough backstory to develop either character, but they do have some action which is kind of fun, particularly the car chase towards the film’s climax in which Charles features quite prominently. I was angry that Moller has been getting cameos for his past several films and I was happy to see him in a more substantial role, more than he had in literally the last several films. I would be thrilled to see more of him, but at least in this instance, he gets to use his amazing skills numerous times.
As indicated the finale is mostly car chase oriented delivering any of our “hero’s” who are trying to take hostages donning the role of ambulance thieves. The narrow winding roads in Malta come in handy making the car chase more interesting. The driving shots are also coupled with action in the ambulance, where Rhona Mitra fights off a secret service agent as Lee Charles drives and deals with one more assailant. The action sequence comes out clean as Mitra does a very good job in executing the close combat moves.
What disappoints in the finale is how Grillo has been underutilized. He does have plenty of action throughout the film but then again the climax does not revolve around him, which is unexpected. Like always giddy as a schoolboy Grillo is in top shape, not for a man of his age but for any. He gets involved in the fight and his stunty does some of the work as well. Nonetheless, he competently performs both shooting and savage combat. I just thought being the lead character so much of the finale dwelling on his two co stars is nonsense. It is a rather insignificant issue because despite this the action pleases even though it was not as I anticipated.
Some pacing problems can be neglected because of the sheer quality of action. Indeed, there is a sense of tension somewhere else, which is partly to do with the fact that the film has none because of the stylization and narrative approach. However, I would give the movie a few more plus guys for not hiding from the shocking moments. There is a scene where the reliable Robert Patrick performs an act of violence that is just brutally cold blooded. This is not about the fact that it is too gory, but the way it is executed in an apathetic manner.
Speaking of Patrick, he, like Grillo, appears to be the only other American actor in the cast. He is really excellent in this role, and casts the right amount of intensity in a character that is practically in a slumber. He spends most of his time on the screen shouting at his subordinates, and he makes himself seem quite threatening. Matthew Marsh plays an ambiguous President of the United States, who is a bit untrustworthy, and is well supported by James Elder and the dependable Matthew Marsh.
Hounds of War isn’t the complete success that I expected, but it was still an interesting experience. Fans will appreciate Florentine’s action direction but probably this is not one of his best. But perhaps his upcoming film Hellfire will be the one, as it brings him back together with his Bridge of Dragons (1999) main actor Dolphy Lundgren and has performances from Stephen Lang and Harvey Keitel. Also, the underused Johnny Yong Bosch features. Let’s hope he has the chance to show off some of his martial arts skills.
With Grillo, we will not be waiting for too long to see him again on the screen. At present, he is featuring in the second season of Tulsa King (2022), as well as a cast in Long Gone Heroes (2024) which was released the same day as Hounds of War. That’s a lot of Grillo! Long Gone Heroes brings together him and writer/director John Swab yet again, their fifth film together. I wonder how this one is different from their other projects.
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