PRECIOUS CARGO

US, 2016, 90 minutes, Colour.
Mark- Paul Gosselaar, Claire Forlani, Bruce Willis, Jenna B.Kelly, Nick Loeb, Lydia Hull.
Directed by Max Adams.

This is a crime drama that is not essential viewing.

The film focuses on the young criminal, his plans, successes. It also focuses on his range of relationships with women. He is played by Mark- Paul Gosselaar. Amongst his relationships is an intense bond with a woman who is also a criminal, Karen. She is played by Claire Forlani.

The main villain of the film (in which all the characters are villains) is played by Bruce Willis, a familiar kind of figure from many films in his later years, several action films a year. He is arrogant, dominating, has an entourage of thugs. He confronts Karen, threatens her, she has access to call of jewels.

There is a whole range of bonding, betrayals, a number of set pieces with robberies, shootings, explosions, motorboat chases, exploding planes, safes falling from the planes and captured.

One robbery leads to another and there is a raid by the central protagonists.

Amongst the women, there is a young woman who is an expert sniper and goes into action. There is also a sympathetic doctor.

In fact, there is no really sympathetic character in the whole film in so far as everybody is involved in criminal activity – and exploiting each other, lies, betrayals. Which means then that Bruce Willis has to go – when he least expected and thinks he is in control. Karen also is left stranded despite her wanting to reconcile. Which leaves the hero, with sympathetic friends, with the sniper, the support of the doctor, a final girlfriend.

While the jewels are precious, the film is not.