FORTRESS: SNIPER'S EYE

US, 2022, 87 minutes, Colour.

Jesse Metcalfe, Bruce Willis, Chad Michael Murray, Kelly Grayson, Ser' Darius Blain, Natali Yura, Michael Sirow, Gabrielle Haugh, Welker White, Natalie Burn.

Directed by Josh Sternfeld.

This sequel takes up a month after the original. Audiences interested in following the events of the siege at the fortress, the confrontation with the archvillain, Bruce Willis as the former CIA agent, his son, Paul, and Kate, the assistant at the Fortress, will be eager.

Audiences are reminded with a flashback how Robert, Bruce Willis, promised to free the wife of the Arch-villain from a Russian prison and this is how this film opens. She is welcomed back to the centre as it is being dismantled by the government. Also visiting is Kate’s mother and younger sister, unaware of what really happened. Also at hand is Ed, Michael Sirow, the arch-combat hero.

Then, there is a surprise to discover that the villain is not dead, shot but wearing protective vest and returning to seek revenge. In another flashback to Paul and Kate’s escape in the first film, there is discovery that henchman, Ulysses, is not dead either.

Which means then that the peaceful atmosphere at the Fortress, with Robert, having been wounded in Russia, recuperating, is interrupted by new invasion, the same kind of confrontation, the villain at the computer to make sure that he has recovered his money, attempts at escape, the holding of Kate and her mother as hostages, but the intruders not realising that there is also the younger daughter who is able to combine with Ed as well as rescue Paul when he has been overcome.

Verbal confrontations between the villain and Robert, memories of betrayal, seeking of revenge, the wife who had informed her husband that he could invade but who promised that there would be no deaths, turns against her husband. Plenty of opportunity for Paul, Ed, Kate, to have arm to arm combat.

One presumes that the villain is dead at the end of this sequel – and not to be resuscitated for a third film.

1. Audience enjoyment of the original film, the characters, situations, money, IT, American government underground centres? Confrontations and fights? The same for this film?
2. The screenplay presupposing the original film, the references, the flashbacks to Robert’s promise to the villain to save his wife from Russia, the flashbacks to Paul and Kate escaping from Ulysses? Their deaths?
3. The Fortress, the grounds, the plant, being dismantled, the packing up?
4. Kate’s mother, Zoe, arrival, mother and daughter reunited, Zoe rather surly? Ed picking them up, the meal?
5. The wife, freed from Russia, grateful to Robert, his being wounded, recuperation and recovery, her being welcomed by the group?
6. The invasion by her husband, the surprise that he is not dead, his henchmen, working the computers and recovering the money, confrontation with Paul, his escape through the duct, Zoe escaping, his being knocked out, her helping him?’ Ed’s girlfriend being shot?
7. Kate, the thug, the sexual advance, confrontation, his being shot?
8. Ed and Zoe, the vehicle, the attack? Kate and her mother escaping the building?
9. Robert, the confrontation with the villain, Paul, the villain’s wife and her turning on him?
10. The final confrontation, death, the family reunited?