Parents' Guide to

Out of Death

By Jeffrey Anderson, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 15+

Willis can't rescue pointless, violent wilderness thriller.

Movie R 2021 96 minutes
Out of Death Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

Community Reviews

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age 18+

Based on 1 parent review

Doogal
Doogal Adult
November 16, 2021
age 18+

Bruce Willis must've been desperate!

Appalling rubbish with pointless scenes where the main protagonist seems to run towards getting herself captured every 10 minutes! Willis must have needed the money!
See all 1 parent review

What's the Story?

In OUT OF DEATH, photojournalist Shannon Mathers (Jaime King) is hiking through the wilderness, intending to scatter her father's ashes. Along the way, she witnesses a drug deal involving a dirty cop named Billie Stanhope (Lala Kent). Shannon hides and takes pictures of it, but she's discovered and pursued. Before long, Billie has called another cop, Tom Rivers (Tyler Jon Olson) -- brother of the crooked sheriff/mayoral candidate Hank Rivers (Michael Sirow) -- to help find and kill Shannon. Fortunately, retired cop Jack Harris (Bruce Willis) has just moved into a nearby cabin, and he may just have something to say about the situation.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say: (1):
Kids say: Not yet rated

Yet another in a string of micro-budget Willis "action" movies, this thriller looks and feels slapdash. It ignores plot threads, takes lazy, sloppy shortcuts, and ultimately adds up to little. Willis clearly took this role for the paycheck, allowing the filmmakers to use his name value. He reportedly worked on the movie for only one day, so there are many shots of him walking through the woods alone, reacting to offscreen noises. His line readings are sleepy and non-committal, and yet without him, Out of Death would have been even worse. (What does that title even mean?)

The villains seem to have been mistakenly informed that they were in a comedy: They perform their tasks with a broad bumbling quality and constantly snap at one another. The main villain, a crooked politician, is as generically snaky as they come. Most disappointing is Shannon and her disturbing character arc. Her father apparently labeled her a "quitter," and she eventually proves him wrong ... by learning to carry a gun. That's it. Perhaps next time the filmmakers and Willis will realize that "B" movies can be fun and energetic; they don't have to be cheap and lazy, like Out of Death.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about Out of Death'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 are drugs depicted? Does the movie glamorize drug use or drug dealing? Are any consequences shown? Why does that matter?

  • Do you consider Shannon a role model? Why, or why not? How does she overcome her lack of confidence?

  • Both of the main characters have lost loved ones; how does the movie discuss the subject of death?

Movie Details

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