Lockout

Synopsis: MS One is an experimental prison in space where the 500 most dangerous criminals on planet Earth are kept in an artificial sleep. Leading a humanitarian mission, the daughter of the US president, Emilie Warnock (Maggie Grace) arrives on board the station, just as an unprecedentedly violent mutiny breaks out. Emilie and the crew of MS One are taken hostage by the inmates. President Warnock decides to send Agent Snow (Guy Pearce) to MS One with the sole mission of saving Emilie and nobody else…

Release Date: April 13, 2012     MPAA Rating: PG-13

Genre(s): Action, Science Fiction

Film Review

Lockout‘s opening credits begin with a statement, “Based On An Original Idea of Luc Besson.” For those familiar with Luc Besson’s work, he is the writer and/or director of such films as Taken, Leon: The Professional, The Fifth Element, and From Paris With Love, it is expected of them to be action-packed and witty–in a darker, sarcastic way that works perfectly for the leading men, or ladies, who deliver the dialogue. Besson loves a great one-liner, and he also loves to go over-the-top with the scenarios of his films. The end result is more often that not an enjoyable experience, and Lockout proves this fact.

In the year 2079 the United States prison system has changed. A new prison system has been established where inmates are kept in a super-max space prison called MS One in stasis sleep–meaning, all of the inmates are asleep in containers reminiscent of those that brought the crew of Alien to their deadly alien swamped planet. Earth itself, as seen almost solely by Washington D.C. is a concrete wasteland, and a place obviously ravaged by war and living in fear as the Oval Office of the White House is now located in an underground bunker. One thing remains the same though, the Secret Service still interrogate people, and there are still innocent men being locked away for crimes they did not commit. The man in question here is Snow (Guy Pearce), a wise-cracking agent who has been double-crossed. Sentenced to life-imprisonment in the space prison Snow is given the opportunity to change his fate. The President’s daughter, Emilie, has been taken captive during a rebellion at MS One and Snow is the only man who can rescue her; it also helps that the one man who can prove his innocence is imprisoned there already.

It is Snow to the rescue in Lockout and he will have his hands full when he arrives. Between the group of bad guys leading the rebellion, Alex (Vincent Regan) and the completely crazy lunatic Hydell (Joseph Gilgun) are at the forefront, to the obstacles that crawling around a prison in ducks and vents creates, like defying body-chopping capable fans, Snow’s journey to save Emilie is thwarted time and again, and even by Emilie herself. It would not be an original idea of Luc Besson if there was not some sort of love-story mixed in with action; nor would Lockout have the privilege of being a pure 80s action-film made in heaven. Lockout is completely over-the-top with everything, making it one of the most enjoyable action sci-fi movies you could watch as of late.

Avoiding the pitfall of taking itself too seriously, Lockout has been written with humor, lots of humor. The witty dialogue, sarcasm, and mischievous banter between Pearce’s Snow and Grace’s Emilie hark back to when comedy on the screen was not forced, or relying on a gag to hook the audience. Recollections of John Mcclane in the Die Hard franchise are sure to occur, and every other 80s action-movie that used humor to add to the story, not become the basis for the plot. The Directors, James Mather and Stephen St. Leger, admit to their fondness for Billy Wilder, Die Hard, and even Romancing The Stone; the influences are not left unnoticed on the audience in-between the next great deadpan one-liner or hilarious crazy outburst by Gilgun’s Hydell.

The comedic glue, so to speak, is in Pearce’s performance as Snow. He is brazen in his delivery of lines, both of the sarcastic type and those inclined to be more honest but funny regardless given his situation–this man is wandering around a maximum security space prison with an attractive woman, surrounded by the most dangerous criminals. Guy Pearce may not be the likely action-hero or comedian, neither is Liam Neeson and that turned out well for him in Taken. Lockout has been written with humor in mind, and for the fans of action movies it will procure in you the desire to clap and scream out with joy at the end because you have indeed just had a great time laughing yourself silly while saving the day with Snow.

Cast and Crew

• Director(s): James Mather
• Producer(s): Luc BessonMarc LibertLeila Smith
• Screenwriter(s): Stephen St. LegerJames MatherLuc Besson
• Story: 
• Cast: Guy Pearce (Snow)Maggie Grace (Emilie)Vincent Regan (Alex) Joseph Gilgun (Hydell)Lennie James (Shaw)Peter Stormare (Langral)Jacky Ido (Hock)
• Editor(s): Camille Delamarre
• Cinematographer: James Mather
• Production Designer(s):
• Costume Designer: 
• Casting Director(s): 
• Music Score: Alexandre Azaria
• Music Performed By: 
• Country Of Origin: France