Parents' Guide to The Fix

This ambitious but ridiculously long action thriller suffers from a lack of tension and character; trimming its convoluted setup and several "endings" could easily have made it a tighter movie. The makers of The Fix perhaps found themselves in a bind after they cast Neeson: They might have been forced to make his part much bigger, when really all that was needed was someone to tell Tucker about the hidden money. So there's a long prologue to get through before the real story even begins. And that central story, which involves rescuing the journalist and finding the treasure, is somehow lacking in suspense. It's handled in a blunt, matter-of-fact way rather than with any kind of teasing or taunting. (It's not very much fun.)

Then there's Levi, who's been likable in the past but here plays Tucker as emotionless and mean, creating a void between him and his men. It's a stretch to imagine how they remain loyal to him. And just when things feel like they're finally winding down, there are several more ludicrous hoops to jump through. The Fix tries to give viewers a message about good deeds counterbalancing bad actions, but it's not very believable—and ultimately it feels as if it leaves off with the promise of more violence.