The Cold Light of Day (2012)
Certified: 12
Duration: 93 minutes
Directed by: Mabrouk El Mechri
Starring: Henry Cavill, Sigourney Weaver, Bruce Willis, Veronica Echegui, Caroline Goodall, Rafi Gavron
KRS release
The Cold Light of Day should provide sufficient thrills to keep action fans sated. It also gives one a chance to see Henry Cavill − fresh from his role in Immortals − before he stars as the iconic Superman.
For those out there who liked the recent Safe House, this film should be worth their while even though this one has more of a B-movie style orientation.
Inspired by The Bourne Identity, this film focuses on the pure and simple thrill of the chase and serves as a postcard to Spain (even though it is pictured as replete with spooks, terrorists and bad guys!).
This film continues to make one wonder what it is about Europe that appears so foreboding to visiting Americans: Liam Neeson’s daughter got kidnapped in Paris in Taken; Matt Damon ends up on the run all over Europe in The Bourne Identity and Harrison Ford’s wife got kidnapped in Paris in Frantic, among other mishaps in Europe.
Henry Cavill plays Will, a young Wall Street trader who arrives in Spain to be with his family although he is not too happy about this trip. When he meets his father Martin Shaw (Bruce Willis) who works as a cultural attaché, the tension is palpable.
Martin lives with his family on a boat and Will discovers that the company he worked for has gone bust. After an incident Will opts to go to town, yet on his return he finds that his family has disappeared.
When Will seeks the police for help, trouble ensues and he quickly realises he can trust no one.
His father comes to his help and tells him that he is a CIA agent and that there are some really bad people who are after a briefcase he took.
Will soon ends up on the run again. The film builds up to several over-the-top extended showdowns all delivered with a 1980s style action.
Veronica Echegui is delightful while Sigourney Weaver is as shady as they come. She is simply confidence personified as she steamrolls over the rest of the cast with quite an authority and a sizable wink.
Mr Cavill is at the centre of the film and he is quite convincing as the young man who has no idea of what is happening around him. The film follows him around in a very obedient fashion as French Tunisian director Mabrouk El Mechri is trigger-happy in the way he shoots every piece of action.
The film flaunts its exploitation of the B-movie style action and Mr El Mechri knows what his audience wants and concentrates on just that. His camerawork is never still and serves to enliven things up.
The relationship between Will and Lucia (Veronica Echegui) has all the ingredients for another “love blossoms while dodging bullets” kind of story but here ends up being quite surprising in how it is finally tied up.
The Spanish setting and ambience gives this action movie a different hue to its appearance.