The star of Classified, Aaron Eckhart, is a strange quantity. He is a superb actor, if you look at this turn in The Dark Knight, Rabbit Hole or Thank You for Smoking you will see that he can really bring a fantastically layered performance when required. Then he jumps on board silly movies like The Core or popcorn fun like Olympus Has Fallen or Battle: Los Angeles. There are rumours he is a bit of a diva behind the scenes as many artists tend to be.
However, Eckhart seems to be willing to rattle off cheesy actioners in between the big titles and they are not something Bruce Willis or Mel Gibson didn’t have time to slot in.
Erased – Popped up on Video here in the UK and I took a gamble. A solid action film with a great car chase. Eckhart plays a role that feels like it was written for Liam Neeson post-Taken.
In the Line of Duty – A surprise! This is a funny action movie in which Eckhart quips his way through the run time as a cop tracking down a kidnapper. Give it a go, you’ll maybe chuckle.
Muzzle – Eckhart is a cop in the K9 unit. His character is, again, lighter than you might expect despite some baggage. The action is thoroughly enjoyable, however, the climax felt a little underwhelming. A sequel has been rumoured.
The Bricklayer – A corker of an action flick with bone crunching action sequences. This feels like it should be a lot worse than it is. There is a high level of polish and I honestly enjoyed this more than the John Wick outings.
Chief of Station – As a long time fan of Alec Baldwin I was most interested in his casting, however, Eckhart took over when the Rust incident occurred. Action is fast and exciting even if the plot is a little redundant.
There was another title, Ambush, however, it looked too close to a Willis/Gibson reject territory and it felt like Eckhart was a glorified cameo. I barely managed it through the trailer.
And now Classified.
Eckhart is a hitman who find out he has been controlled by a rogue operative since his unit was disbanded years ago… or something like that. Eckhart meets a young lady who reveals the truth and they go on the run to take down the baddies. It’s very formulaic stuff.
The film has a bit of a gimmick though, Eckhart is paired with Abigail Breslin. I have to admit to having poked around online to see what folks make of her casting in the role and I think I am entirely alone in thinking she helped the film. Breslin looks like a typical young lady who works in an office adding a layer of realism. She isn’t an ass-kicking spy like Maggie Q or Olga Kurylenko might play. Seeing Breslin clutch her handbag and run from gun fire in sensible shoes is quite refreshing for what is a fairly by the numbers flick. It’s possible the casting was a mistake, but I feel it benefited the film for the better.
Eckhart and Breslin, despite reports that emerged following the film’s release, have some good on screen chemistry and Breslin’s sarcastic humour can raise a smile as the predictable twists pop up. Tim Roth is also here bringing nothing to the film, merely picking up a paycheck. There rest of the cast is bulked out with gun totting, forgettable henchmen, some with dialogue and some without, but all of them end up in a pile after Eckhart pulls his moves on then… aside from one. One of the burly, gun totting, armoured henchmen is dispatched by Breslin in a kitchen and I have mixed feelings about the encounter… he must not have been the best henchmen in the brigade.
One thing that struck me was the location. Shot entirely in Malta, against the bright, fortified background, Classified is not aware of its own actions. Frequently innocent bystanders can be seen running around in the background, however, at no point do the local police arrive given the continual disturbances, explosions and gunfire in the small area. Classified’s plot takes place over a couple of days and there is no presence of the law at any point.
Whilst some of the action is fun there are instances when things are a bit shaky. A fist fight between Eckhart and a henchman on some steps is badly in need of some audio mixing as the scuffle sounds like they are play-fighting and the realism is lost. There is a smidgen of CGI for a few explosions and it’s bad!
Another issue is the music. Right from the off is the horrible score, if you could even call it that. Utilising a series of percussiony blips and beats is fine during a sequence when someone is explaining a heist, expanding and placing it over the whole movie is torturous. 30 minutes in I was sick to the back teeth of the unrelenting rhythm. Thankfully the action ramped up and drowned it out. Locations are drenched in light to hide what they are. There is a hotel room where the pair stay with two single beds and the harsh light from the windows is there purely to liven up and distract from the distinctly unconvincing hotel room.
Yet, despite these issues there are some rich and impressive visuals throughout the action sequences, helmed competently. Malta looks gorgeous, almost like the Tourist board had to approve the footage. Drone shots luxuriate the gorgeous blue waters, historic ports and grand architecture.
I was always going to like Classified more than everyone else. It’s the least of the Eckhart action movies listed above and I had to dig to find the positives. Classified will work if you have a bunch of chums, several beers and a conversation going. On a Saturday night, home with your partner, looking for polished thrills? Stay away.
