Trigger Point
Kids say
Based on 1 review
Common Sense is a nonprofit organization. Your purchase helps us remain independent and ad-free.
Trigger Point
Did we miss something on diversity?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.
Suggest an Update
A Lot or a Little?
The parents' guide to what's in this movie.
What Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that Trigger Point is an action movie about former secret agent Nicolas Shaw (Barry Pepper), who may have been set up for a betrayal and is trying to clear his name. Violence is the biggest issue: Many characters are shot and killed, some with blood spurts. Many guns and knives are shown, a character is tortured (hung over a tub that's slowly filling with water), and another person is waterboarded. A minor character appears to be a porn producer; sex toys, a woman wearing "pasties" on her nipples, and a poster for an adult movie (Booty Actually) are shown. Language is strong, with uses of "f--k," "s--t," "a--hole," and more. A minor character snorts cocaine, there's social drinking and cigarette smoking, and a character is injected with sodium thiopental.
Community Reviews
There aren't any reviews yet. Be the first to review this title.
What's the Story?
In TRIGGER POINT, Nicolas Shaw (Barry Pepper) lives a simple, small-town life, but he also has a sophisticated security system in his home. Nicolas' former colleague Elias Kane (Colm Feore) comes to him, and viewers learn that Nicolas was once a member of a spy organization called The Agency -- and that, under torture, he may have given up the names of eight colleagues, who were then killed. Now Elias' daughter, who was investigating the truth, has been taken, and he needs Nicolas' help to get her back, discover who set Nicholas up, and uncover the identity of the assassin. Nicholas reluctantly agrees, but not even he can know what lies in store for him.
Is It Any Good?
Sturdy and even somewhat stylish, this action movie is also too familiar and predictable; it likely won't be remembered by viewers long enough to warrant its promised sequels. Directed by Brad Turner -- a TV veteran with a long, impressive list of small-screen credits -- Trigger Point has a few cool sequences, from the ins and outs of Nicolas' heavily protected country home to a shoot-out among a row of greenhouses surrounded by a cornfield. The movie is taut and lean, and Pepper is fine as the hero, even if his Shaw feels like a B movie version of John Wick, Jason Bourne, or Ethan Hunt.
Certainly the "retired and in hiding" ex-superspy is an old cliché, and the movie can't quite get away from other clichés as it goes along, from the overly complicated dialogue-based setup to the unsurprising double-crosses. Indeed, the movie often feels as if it starts after all the good stuff left off. A general low-energy quality keeps things from ever getting very tense or exciting, and the generic title -- just what is a Trigger Point anyway? Is it something to do with a gun? -- will probably make this movie fade away quietly and painlessly.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about Trigger Point's violence. How did it make you feel? Which parts were exciting, and which were shocking? Why?
How is sex depicted? What values does the movie impart on that topic?
How are drinking, drugs, and smoking depicted? Are they glamorized? Are there consequences? Why does that matter?
Have you ever been "set up" for anything you didn't do? How did it make you feel?
Does Shaw seem like a role model? What's interesting or admirable about his character? What are his flaws?
Movie Details
- In theaters: April 16, 2021
- On DVD or streaming: June 1, 2021
- Cast: Barry Pepper, Laura Vandervoort, Colm Feore
- Director: Brad Turner
- Studio: Screen Media
- Genre: Action/Adventure
- Run time: 82 minutes
- MPAA rating: NR
- Last updated: March 31, 2022
Our Editors Recommend
-
John Wick
Action film is stylish, entertaining but extremely violent.
-
The Bourne Identity
Violent but thrilling first of the Bourne action trilogy.
-
The Mechanic
Exceedingly violent action remake also has sex, drinking.
-
A Walk Among the Tombstones
Crime story from skilled director has strong violence.
-
The Losers
Violent but quirky movie aimed at teen comic book fans.
For kids who love thrills
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
See how we rate