Common Sense Media Review
By Jeffrey M. Anderson
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Mindless action movie with lots of killing, blood, swearing.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 15+?
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Gunner
Parent and Kid Reviews
What's the Story?
In GUNNER, Lee Gunner (Luke Hemsworth) is a decorated war hero who has become estranged from his family due to his extended absences. In an effort to reconnect with them, he invites his sons—teen Tyler (Connor DeWolfe) and Tyler's younger brother, Luke (Grant Feely)—on a camping trip. The boys' uncle Jon (Barry Jay Minoff), Lee's brother-in-law, comes along, too. In the woods, they stumble on a large drug operation and are attacked. Jon is killed, and Tyler and Luke are kidnapped. Lee uses his military training to dispatch most of the attackers, but, during the fight, DEA agents arrive and take away most of the drugs. The man in charge of the drug operation, Dobbs (Mykel Shannon Jenkins), gives Lee an ultimatum: Get the drugs back, or his sons will die. Lee cooks up a wild idea. To get his own bargaining chip, he breaks into prison and kidnaps Dobbs' father, Ryker (Morgan Freeman), the real mastermind behind the drug operation.
Is It Any Good?
Far more interested in shooting and fights than it is in characters or ideas, this generic action thriller can't even get that much right, with its choppy, incoherent look and sluggish pacing. Directed by Dimitri Logothetis (of Jiu Jitsu infamy), Gunner wouldn't have a reason to exist if its characters had just talked to each other. But apparently Lee would rather keep his family estranged than merely explain why he was gone for so long. (He says it would merely be "whining.") Conversely, the movie's only other emotional gut-punch (spoiler alert!)—the death of Lee's oldest son—is described in dialogue; it has no real impact. The villains' motivations are likewise nonsensical; they seem to be making decisions just to keep the movie going, rather than operating through logic.
When we get to the big showdown, it's practically impossible to even tell what's going on; it's a sludgy, jumpy mess, often accompanied by the weirdest music imaginable. Finally, when this one man army is all done with his battle, leaving behind an incredible wake of destruction, there are no consequences. He even gets a (most improbable) job offer! The movie's most intriguing sequence comes after Lee breaks Ryker out of prison and they're driving to the big showdown. There's an attempt to talk about fatherhood and what it all means, but Lee keeps angrily shooting Ryker down, and the conversation is killed before it even has a chance to start. (Plus, Lee comes out looking like a jerk.) Gunner would have been better if it were a "goner."
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about Gunner's violence. How did it make you feel? Was it exciting? Shocking? What did the movie show or not show to achieve this effect? Why is that important?
How does the movie demonstrate the importance of communication? What price does Lee pay for not communicating with his family?
How are drugs represented here? Are they glamorized? Are there consequences for their use/presence? Why is that important?
Do you consider Lee a role model? How do his courage and military skill balance with his skills as a person and a father?
Did you notice that all of the movie's heroes are White, and the villains are Black? Why is that problematic in terms of diverse representation?
Movie Details
- In theaters : August 16, 2024
- On DVD or streaming : August 16, 2024
- Cast : Luke Hemsworth , Morgan Freeman , Mykel Shannon Jenkins
- Director : Dimitri Logothetis
- Inclusion Information : Black Movie Actor(s)
- Studio : Highland Film Group
- Genre : Action/Adventure
- Run time : 105 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- Last updated : August 27, 2024
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