Lockout (2012)
Certified: 16
Duration: 95 minutes
Directed by: James Mather and Stephen St Leger
Starring: Guy Pearce, Maggie Grace, Peter Stormare, Lennie James, Vincent Regan, Joseph Gilgun
KRS release
All readers who look back on such 1980s movies as Escape From New York (1981) and Die Hard (1988) will find Lockout’s 1980s retro-feel sci-fi thriller a sure hit.
These kind of movies are meant to be rough and tough, and Lockout is precisely that- Johan Galea
It had been a long time since a real B movie came along that delivered what it promised, with no frills attached.
Lockout works because it knows that it is purposefully walking in the same footsteps as John Carpenter’s science fiction films of the 1980s, but does it with confidence and, most of all, has a sense of retro fun.
Lockout is set in the future, in 2079, when the US has built a hi-tech prison that orbits around earth.
When news spreads that the prisoners, held in suspended animation are undergoing abuse, the President’s daughter, Emilie Warnock (Maggie Grace), goes off to investigate.
Problems erupt when an interview with one of the prisoners, named Hydell (Joseph Gilgun), goes wrong.
Hydell escapes and frees the other prisoners, including his brother Alex (Vincent Reagan), who soon takes command.
Secret Service officer Langral (Peter Stormare) interrogates Snow (Guy Pearce), with regard to cases of murder and espionage.
CIA agent Shaw (Lennie James) sees in Snow the ideal candidate to go into the orbiting prison and return with Emilie.
This does not sit well with Langral, who sees Snow as a criminal with an attitude.
Snow is reluctant but agrees in order to find his friend Mace (Tim Plester), who he knows is interested but is held in the station. Once on the station, Snow is up against all manner of problems, while Hydell becomes more and more unhinged.
Guy Pearce is an absolute gem in this movie. Not only does he look like an 1980s action figure, but his deadpan delivery borders on the exquisite self-parody.
He is a John McClane (the main character of Die Hard) clone and happy about it.
I really loved how he went about this and how the script played to these strengths inserting one wisecrack after another.
He simply carries the movie forward and adds several notches of swagger to its attitude.
The film has strong tempo and the story is fast-paced.
The script sticks to the genre rules with even the supporting cast fitting the obligatory supporting roles.
Maggie Grace is quite a fresh addition to the screen while Peter Stormare is antagonistic and delivers a character you love to hate.
Vincent Regan as the main villain, has enough screen presence to make him a worthy opponent to Snow’s loose cannon of a hero.
Joseph Gilgun is clearly having a ball, playing a very wacko, over-the-top character.
The film is aware of its limitations and knows that it is a B movie. This did not limit my enjoyment of it. In fact I am usually irked when a B movie has polished and ultra-slick special effects.
These kinds of movies are meant to be rough and tough, and Lockout is precisely that. It translates a standard script with a strong sense of confidence that is enviable.
Add to that Guy Pearce’s gritty and macho performance and Lockout becomes a real hoot of a thriller that deserves your time.