OUT OF DEATH
US, 2020, 96 minutes, Colour.
US, 2021, 96 minutes, Colour.
Jaimee King, Bruce Willis, Lala Kent, Kelly Grayson, Michael Sirow, Tyler John Olsen.
Directed by Mike Burns, Al Imran Niloy.
One of the many Bruce Willis films made each year during the 2010s an into the 2020s. He has a significant but small role, an ageing policeman, his wife dying, his retiring, going to a cabin by a lake (and finding the quiet rather difficult).
There is an interestingly complicated plot. Jaime King portrays a young woman going on a hike to scatter the ashes of her father, always conscious that he was critical of her. A commercial photographer, she happens on a confrontation between a policewoman and a drug dealer, the policewoman shooting him.
The film is something of a chase and pursuit action drama. The policewoman, corrupt, calls the issue into the local sheriff who is also standing for mayor. He is corrupt, cashing in on the drug deals, aided by his older brother, a rather slow-witted police officer. The young woman encounters Bruce Willis, they exchange stories and he promises to help.
Then various complications, the young woman getting the upper hand, wounding the police officer and finally shooting the older brother.
The corrupt sheriff finds that information about the retired policeman, contact him, trying to do a deal – but, there is some ingenuity and how he is tricked, confronted, and arrested.
A better than usual Bruce Willis time-passer.
- An action thriller? Bruce Willis’ presence?
- The country town, the mountain scenery, the Lake, police officers, the holiday cabin, atmosphere? Musical score?
- Shannon’s story, her background, her father’s ashes, her memories of his belittling her, challenging her? Her friend dropping her at the mountain walk? The assent, writing the letter? Not finding the right spot for the ashes? Hearing the noise, the drug deal and the shooting, filming everything?
- The drug deal, the man in the truck, tattoos, Billy, police, tough stances, deals, confrontations, his throwing the drugs over her, attempting to escape, her shooting him? Her realisation that there was a witness? Pursuing Shannon?
- The police and the involvement with the drugs, Hank and his being the sheriff, the election for mayor, relying on his older brother, Tommy, not the brightest on the force?
- Tommy, going to help Billy, the pursuit of Shannon? Phoning Hank? His eventual arrival?
- Shannon, escape, revving herself up to Billy, about to be shot, Jack and the distraction, her flight, discussions with Jack, telling their stories, trusting him? The confrontation with Billy, the fight, the cabin and cutting free her cuffs, the knife, the wound, injuring Billy?
- The situation with Billy, bleeding, Tommy inept, Hank arriving, forcing Tommy to let her bleed to death?
- The introduction to Jack, Bruce Willis character, 35 years and the police, grieving at the death of his wife, his niece and nephew, the cabin, going for the walk, the encounter with Shannon?
- Hank, going to the cabin, discovering the connection with Pam, that Jack was police? The phone calls? The deals, to hand over Shannon?
- Shannon, in the house, the frightened woman, Jack’s arrival, the plan, the woman on the phone counting, and glistening, getting his Deputy to take Pam in, arriving at the house, going into the room, Shannon with the gun, the fight? The phone call to Jack, his praying Pam, the police arriving?
- The flashback, the 20 minutes, Shannon sending all her footage to the FBI, the police arriving?
- Hank, arrest, suicide in prison, expose of the drug corruption?
- The finale, Pam and Hank, his being resigned to live in the country, meeting with Shannon, continually encouraging her, and going to distribute the ashes?
