2 Guns

How could it not be 10 star with both Mark Wahlberg and that other guy, Denzel Warshington

For starters, how can you go wrong with Denzel Washington and Mark Wahlberg in the same movie? This was a great little find on my Netflix stream that I clicked on the spur-of-the-moment (which I rarely do) simply because of those two names...and I was not disappointed. Great little easy-to-watch action flick with just enough humor thrown in to keep it from being "just another cop show". The chemistry between Washington and Wahlberg was great, seemingly natural, and a lot of fun to watch. The storyline was simple, with enough twists in there to keep you scratching your head, and the action was exaggerated just enough without seeming silly or juvenile. Toss in a great supporting cast that includes James Marsden ("Cyclops" from the _X-Men_ movies) and Robert John Burke and you just have a great action movie that's "fun" at the same time. Glad I happened across this one!

Imagine two guys diving headfirst into the world of crime — and their very first client is the FBI.

The story follows Bobby Traverz (Denzel Washington) and Mike Banks (Mark Wahlberg), who team up to pull off a daring bank heist. After the job, they each discover that the other is secretly working for a different agency: Bobby is with the DEA, while Mike is with the Navy. As events unfold, they uncover a larger conspiracy involving drug cartels and the military, forcing them to join forces against common enemies amid surprises and betrayals.

Acting:
Denzel Washington delivers his signature strong, cool, and clever performance. His chemistry with Mark Wahlberg is a major highlight — Mark plays the cooperative but reckless soldier, injecting humor into tense moments. Their dynamic drives much of the film’s fun and energy.

Direction:
The film offers fast-paced, exciting action with a good balance of thrills and comedy, keeping viewers engaged throughout.

Setting and Cinematography:
Much of the movie takes place in desert landscapes and Mississippi settings, complementing the film’s tone. The soundtrack fits perfectly with the action-comedy vibe.

On-Screen Charisma:
The charisma and chemistry between the leads really shine, adding an essential element to the film’s success.

Age Rating:
+18 – Due to action, violence, and mature themes.

Rating:
🔹 7.5/10 – A thrilling, action-packed buddy crime film with great performances and entertaining twists, perfect if you like smart action with humor and strong leads.

Is it bad, no. Was it fun, yes.

A fun romp with two veteran action stars

Director Baltasar Komakur does an excellent job with the cast and the storyline, and makes the viewer interested in what is going to happen next. Great thing about this movie is it can possibly be happening every day. Our government agencies overlap all the time and they don't talk between each other. This is a great movie to go and see.

Ooops...I...did...it..agaaaain...

I either saw this in full or most of it a long time ago, not long after it came out in 2013 or years later. The only thing I remembered going into this was that Denzel Washington's character was undercover, and that Mark Wahlberg's character was also undercover, with both of them obviously discovering each other's actual identities, which is indeed how it transpired.

This was a half buddy-cop and half thriller film, with a more serious, dark tone, with substance beyond the typicality of the buddy cop genre.

And, for the most part, that was done well, with both genres blending well together. There was also a subtle sense of incompatibility, giving the impression that the writer should've gone all-in on one or the other. It was as if he wasn't completely sure what direction to take this film/what he wanted it to be, so he drew from both genres: playing it safe and going down that route instead of taking a shot in the dark, banking on one genre (doing a by-the-books, buddy cop film, or a serious-toned thriller/dramatic thriller), with the hope that it hits the target.

It was also slow-paced, which is seemingly something that some people see as a drawback. The slow pacing contributed to the assumption that the whole film would be somber, with no comedy, humor, or banter; nothing.

Deb's death contributed to that assumption as well. While her death served as an effective tone shift and emotionally resonating moment, despite being an underdeveloped character, her character was still underdeveloped. More could've been done with her. The problem is that the focus was on this being a buddy cop film, not a dramatic one, let alone a dramatic thriller; synonymously, thriller elements were included (plot-wise, excluding the action sequences). Yet, there wasn't much of a drama element overall—but especially regarding her character.

The more serious, darker tone felt slightly jarring and out of place with the overarching centerpiece of Bobby and Stag, their dynamic and clashing personalities, and the buddy-cop genre component. It provided a touch of substance while simultaneously feeling like there was a lack of depth and development to complement that tone: not as much as there should have been, thanks to the conflicting tones.

In fact, I think this film would've been better than decent if this was entirely serious and dark, with everything attached to that being more developed than it was, without the buddy-cop aspect and the constant banter between Bobby and Stag throughout the film that was clearly there anyway to add an element of levity, even though there was never a full investment in the somberness angle of the plot and parts of its presentation.

This was also based on a comic book by the same name, so maybe that's why the serious tone was present in the first place (as comic books tend to be more "mature": exploratory of dark themes) and the writer of the film chose to explore and focus on the buddy-cop component heavier than the comic book did, with the allocation of both components being more in favor of the buddy-cop component.

Denzel and Mark's chemistry was good. They played well off each other, and their acting performances were just as good, especially Denzel's. He's always charismatic with a powerful presence in his roles. Bill Paxton's performance was great, maybe even the best one. He played (and likely plays if this isn't his first time doing so) a good, compelling villain. My only criticism is that it would've been nice if he had more screen time, along with additional development for Earl.

The score by Clinton Shorter was mostly great, with decent-sounding compositions. The majority of it was immersive and atmospheric. It had a bit of a Western-y sound at times, most likely due to the prominent usage of the guitar in multiple cues. There were some parts of a cue or two at some point that gave me subtle Mexican-y vibes—and I mean "subtle"; none of the cues sounded anything like typical melodies in Mexican music. But maybe that was my brain playing tricks on me.

The cinematography by Oliver Wood was great. A lot of the locations and scenery looked excellent; good job by the location managers. That time-lapse shot, in particular, from night to day of Bobby in his car, as he's keeping an eye on Papi Greco before confronting him after the scene in Jessup's house, was particularly well done.