SAS: THE RISE OF THE BLACK SWAN/ SAS: RED NOTICE
UK, 2021, 124 minutes, Colour.
Sam Heughan, Ruby Rose, Andy Serkis, Hannah John- Kamen, Tom Hopper, Noel Clarke, Owain Yeoman, Jim Belushi, Ray Panthaki, Richard McCabe, Anne Reid, Tom Wilkinson.
Directed by Magnus Martens.
In many ways this is an old-fashioned British action show. It is based on a novel by Andy McNabb, popular writer in the vein of Alistair Maclean. McNabb himself was an SAS officer and was tortured during the first Gulf War. This is an SAS story but not in the expected vein.
The film was reviewed very badly. And, with bloggers like those in the IMDb, there was hardly a word in its favour. However, for audiences who came across it on Netflix, it probably serves as enjoyable wars/terrorist action.
In some ways, the opening seems to be rather off-putting. There is Tom Wilkinson leading an expedition in Georgia – but there is a sadistically savage attack on the locals in the village, visually disturbing. And, then, the revelation that Tom Wilkinson and his daughter, Ruby Rose, and rather despised son, Owain Yeoman, run a mercenaries’ outfit, living comfortably in a mansion in the British countryside, available to the highest bidder. And, in this opening, it emerges that they have been employed by the British government, represented by the military man, Andie Serkis, but also with the knowledge of the Prime Minister (Ray Panthaki). The family is to be paid a huge amount of government money for terrorising people in the village so that other members of towns along a projected pipeline will be eager in selling up the land for the pipes.
And, that is only the beginning. The Prime Minister and his liaison fear bad publicity if the truth was revealed. Andy Serkis is commissioned to put the family out of action, especially the ruthless daughter, Grace, a conscienceless woman, who takes charge in operations. There is a raid on their mansion, Andy Serkis confronting Tom Wilkinson and killing him. The daughter escapes.
The meantime, the hero of the film, Tom Buckingham (Sam Heughan), military, trained in combat, wanting to propose to his doctor girlfriend (Anna John-Kamen) during a trip to Paris, is ordered to take part in the raid on the mansion.
The main part of the drama takes place in the Eurostar train in the Eurostar Channel tunnel. The hero and fiancee becoming tangled with Grace who has stopped the train, loaded it with explosives, threatening to expose the British government.
Lots of old-style action on the part of the hero, under the train, outside the train, within the many tunnels and caverns of the Channel tunnel. The doctor is also taken, helping the wounded girl, getting her to her fiance and safety, her being tortured and held as hostage. The military are called in, Andy Serkis taking charge again, and confronting Grace. But, we have known earlier that there is a traitor sending information and photos to Grace, the rather straight up-and-down official played by Noel Clarke as the main suspect but, as in all these stories, the real traitor is the hero’s best friend, played by Tom Hopper.
Lots of fights, lots of action, explosions, and an approach to visualising deaths and torture in more graphic ways than many audiences for this kind of story might like. But an attractive finale, beautiful drain scenery, happy marriage – and, obviously, plans for more such stories.
So, an old-fashioned story, huge criticisms of the performance by Australian Ruby Rose (though this reviewer found her most chillingly credible), an accusation of overuse of cliches and conventions. But, there it is.
