FINAL SCORE

UK, 2018, 104 minutes, Colour.
Dave Bautista, Pierce Brosnan, Ray Stevenson, Ralph Brown, Amit Shah, Lara Peake.
Directed by Scott Mann.

Final Score is an ambiguous title. It could be the result of conflict. It could be the result at the end of a sports match. Here, it is both.

This is a film of action with some touches of brutality. It is far-fetched but that is one of the points being made in this kind of action drama (somewhat reminiscent of Jean-Claude? van Damme and Sudden Death, also in a sports stadium).

The politics is introduced, a revolution in Russia, the defeat of the leader, the aftermath 17 years later, brutal thugs, a search for the original revolutionary who is not dead but his living in London (in the form of Pierce Brosnan).

This is an action film for Dave Bautista as Mike, big, helping, a former mercenary, yet softhearted for his niece. This is important as he has bought her tickets to a grand final at West Ham but she gives him the slip. As he goes to search for her, helped by one of the security guards, a good comic turn from Amit Shah, he becomes involved in an extraordinary plot to get back the initial leader who is at the match, bring him back to his homeland to lead the revolution again.

At first, Mike thinks it is just an opportunity to find out where his niece is. This leads to thug security guards, fights, deaths, the unfolding of an enormous plan, computer-controlled, to lock the stadium, to hold the fans as hostage until the leader is found and taken back to Moscow. With Mike discovering something of the truth, the British police are called in, SAS is prepared, an international intervention is discovered… And so, the action is a great deal of fighting, trying to prevent explosions and deaths, motor bike riding, huge leaps… Issues of self-sacrifice. But, the final score is a victory for Mike and law and order as well as family.

1. The title? Sports? Politics?

2. The London setting, homes, streets, West Ham, the football stadium, interiors, pitch, stands, control rooms, corridors…? The insertion of the football play sequences? Musical score?

3. The opening, revolutions, Russia, suppression of the revolutions, the death of the leader, the assertion of his brother? The brutality? 17 years later, the thugs, pursuit, torture? The transition to the UK?

4. Mike, his background, soldier, his squad, losing the men, his best friend? Coming to London, the taxi, meeting Danni and her mother, the memories of the past, Danni, 15, playing up, her mother grounding her? The West Ham tickets? Her mother relenting?

5. The crowd is going to the match, the atmosphere, the media, commentators? Danni, with Mike, suddenly sad about her father’s death in action, the encounter with the boyfriend? Mike going to buy the hot dogs, Danni going with the boyfriend? Mike and his concern – leading to all the drama and melodrama in order to find her?

6. Mike, his character, tough, softhearted? The encounter with Faisal? Faisal and the prejudiced lady (and finally rescuing her)? His job, the encounter with Mike, going with him, trying to reach the control? The guard, the violence, his death? Faisal going down in the dumbwaiter? Mike and his continued search? The dangers, with Danni, the violence with Tatiana?

7. The Russians, the leader with the computer, the brother and his demands, the squad, Tatiana and her vengeance and viciousness? Setting up, the explosives and the extent? The control of radio and communication? Locking the stadium?

8. The purpose, the revelation that the leader was still alive, had betrayed, was in disguise, protected by the British? To capture him, keep him alive, start the revolution again? The prospect of failure, the explosives and the consequent deaths?

9. Mike, the contact with the police chief, at the concert, not believing him, the truth being confirmed, coming to the site, the police, the international intervention, the helicopter, the SAS ready? Dilemmas and decisions?

10. Mike, his continued search, confronting the thugs in the kitchen, Tatiana? Discovering the explosives? Contact with Faisal, searching for Danni, her being with the boyfriend and leaving him? Her being a possible hostage?

11. The increased activity, the people in the stadium not knowing the truth, the broadcast to the outside world, crowds outside? The details of the action, the fights, the motor bikes, leaps across roofs, falls? The taking of the leader? His collaboration? The plan with the helicopter, Danni and her wanting to self-sacrifice? Mike disguising himself, the further fights? The force television material? The explosions, the panic? The escapes?

12. The Russian, his disguise, dialogue with his brother, his sacrificing himself and defeating the cause?

13. However implausible, an action entertainment?