Panama

Movie review by Jeffrey Anderson, Common Sense Media
Panama Movie Poster

Common Sense says

age 16+

Ridiculous, confusing action movie has blood, nudity.

R 2022 94 minutes
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Parents say

age 18+

Based on 1 review

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A Lot or a Little?

The parents' guide to what's in this movie.

What Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that Panama is an action movie set in 1989 about a former Marine (Cole Hauser) who's sent to Panama to procure a Russian helicopter. It's very poorly made and historically clueless, with choppy action, an inconsistent tone, and plenty of empty filler. Violence includes guns and shooting, characters (including innocents) killed, bloody wounds and blood spurts, neck slicing, hitting with blunt objects, and dialogue about the rape of a 12-year-old girl. Women are shown topless, and graphic sex scenes include one character kissing another's bottom, thrusting, moaning, etc. Language includes uses of "f--k," "s--t," "p---y," "bitch," "whore," etc. Characters sell drugs, and people are shown sniffing cocaine, drinking too much (the main character is seen passed out), and smoking cigars and cigarettes. Mel Gibson is prominently featured in the marketing materials but is barely in the movie.

Community Reviews

B B.
B B. Adult
April 1, 2022
age 18+

Nudity, crap editing & loud music... oh my...

At least 4 pornographic scenes. The editing is bonkers. The music overwhelms the dialogue. I wanted to like this film.. alas two thumbs way down.

This title has:

Too much sex
See all 1 parent review

What's the Story?

In PANAMA, it's 1989, and former U.S. Marine Becker (Cole Hauser) is grieving for his wife, drinking and passing out on her grave. CIA operative Stark (Mel Gibson) offers him a job. Becker is to go to Panama to procure a Russian helicopter, which will then be used to take out dictator Manuel Noriega. Becker meets his liaison, Enrique Rodriguez (Mauricio Hénao), a money launderer with a cocaine habit and three fiancées. As cover, Becker gets a job as a consultant for a casino. He meets Camilla (Kiara Ortega) and, despite Enrique's warnings, begins a love affair with her. But then the double-crosses begin, and Becker must fight for his life.

Is It Any Good?

Nearly shameless in its attempts to re-create the feel of a low-budget 1980s action flick, this un-thrilling movie also forgets to tell a coherent story -- or to make viewers care at all. Set just before 1989's "Operation Just Cause," in which the United States invaded Panama and ousted dictator Manuel Noriega, the clumsy, low-budget Panama doesn't really use that story for any purpose. Rather, it gives viewers a rapid-fire exposition dump and plenty of distractions and padding, such as various sex/nude scenes and a completely gratuitous motorcycle chase through the jungle.

The director is Mark Neveldine, best known for the lunatic, high-energy Crank movies, who has fallen a long way since then. Now his action is just confusing. He can't even manage a stable tone, wildly swinging from Gibson's gung-ho line reading of "Let me tell you ... there's nothing more rock 'n' roll than taking out the bad guys for the Red, White, and Blue" to a solemn view of a refugee camp filled with victims of war. Panama seems unaware of history's gray areas as well, choosing to look past the invasion's illegal aspects. As for the performances, Hauser isn't much of a hero, Gibson is barely on-screen (though he cheerfully narrates throughout), and not one woman in the cast is anything more than a sex object. In short, this is less "Panama Canal" and more "root canal."

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about Panama'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? Are they glamorized? Are there consequences? Why does that matter?

  • How is sex depicted? What values are conveyed?

  • What did you learn about what happened in Panama in 1989? Did the movie inspire you to learn more?

Movie Details

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