Review: Sorry Kev, this is a poor man’s Taken

3 Days To Kill (12 A) review

I can’t remember the last time I saw Kevin Costner as the lead in an action flick – so for that reason alone, 3 Days To Kill grabbed my attention from the off.

It seems a long time since his glory days of JFK, The Bodyguard and (dare I say) Waterworld back in the 1990s, but the American legend looks to be getting back into his groove after Man Of Steel and Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit.

Scripted by Luc Besson, 3 Days to Kill is yet another French-US thriller in the vein of Taken – but it never really gets close to reaching the heights of the Liam Neeson-led classic.

That’s not to say Costner doesn’t do a sterling job as secret agent Ethan Renner, though.

He plays a pretty stereotypical CIA operative with health problems – and (of course) has a family he’s trying to make peace with… while also attempting to chase down some European reprobates that are intent on getting their hands on a ‘dirty bomb’.

With his estranged wife Tina (Connie Nielsen) and teenage daughter Zooey (Hailee Steinfeld) living in Paris, the mission inevitably leads Renner to the French capital.

With able help from ‘femme fatal’ field contact Vivi – the ridiculously out-there (but impressive) Amber Heard – what follows is a host of gun fights, car chases and all-out brawls.

For all of you action junkies, it’s certainly enough to keep you interested, but the story does get woefully disjointed at times.

As Costner’s character is doing his best to bond with his daughter, he’ll go from singing happy birthday in one scene to full-on torturing enemies in the next.

The father-daughter angle works at times, but often falls into the cheese trap.

Steinfeld (Enders Game) is a good foil for Costner, but the duo can’t quite save 3 Days To Kill from being a poor man’s Taken.

Rating: 2.5/5

CINEMA LISTINGS
Showing from June 27-July 3 at West End Cinema, Boston

THURSDAY, JULY 3 ONLY

(7.30pm) – From Here To Eternity (12AL)

**HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON 2 2D (PG)

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**HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON 2 3D (PG)

1.45pm (Sat/Sun), 4pm (Sat/Sun)

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