Mark Wahlberg has been one of the more omnipresent movie stars of the last decade, popping up in a surprisingly diverse array of projects. While I doubt the former leader of the Funky Bunch would ever make something risky and artistically daring like Boogie Nights again, Wahlberg has worked in pretty much every possible genre. Raunchy comedies (the Ted franchise), family flicks (the Daddy's Home movies), prestige pictures (All the Money in the World), big blockbusters (Transformers 4 and 5)- Wahlberg has basically done it all. But he's developed something of a sweet spot in recent years, mostly thanks to his collaborations with director Peter Berg. Lone Survivor was a wildly successful and widely acclaimed war film, so the duo followed that one up with Deepwater Horizon and Patriots Day, two more "Based on a True Story" dramas. Those projects were met with a much more muted reception (the former could even be considered a bona fide bomb), but that won't stop Wahlberg and Berg from teaming up again. They've got Mile 22 on the docket for this summer, and if the buzz is to be believed, they have franchise aspirations for this R-rated action thriller. Earlier today, STX Films released the first trailer- watch it below!
I'm generally okay with Wahlberg's screen persona, because much like Dwayne Johnson and the other macho stars of this era, he seemingly has fun pushing himself in weird new directions from time to time. But I'm not much of a fan of the thinly veiled right-wing propaganda of his most recent outings, where Wahlberg always plays a down-to-earth guy with a burning love for 'Merica. I enjoyed Lone Survivor more than most of the ra-ra military movies of this day and age, but Deepwater and Patriots Day are forgettable at best, with the latter going to some especially cringe-worthy places at times. So it's safe to say that I wasn't all that enthused about the return of Wahlberg's tough guy act in Mile 22. The trailer begins with Wahlberg asking if we want to "live in a world where everyone feels cozy and validated all the time" or "one that works," and my snowflake eyeballs rolled all the way to the back of my head.
That being said, I actually kinda dig this trailer? Sure, I'm just going to have to put up with Wahlberg's silliness here, but Mile 22 looks like the kind of blunt force, refreshingly old school thriller that we just don't see enough of these days. The setpieces look crisp and intense, and it's worth noting that for all of his other faults, Berg is a very good director when it comes to staging action scenes (case in point: Watertown in Patriots Day). Plus, seeing The Raid's Iko Uwais beat up some bad guys (or good guys) is always a good time. Mile 22 could be as mediocre as this duo's last two outings, but this trailer gives me a hope for a bit of violent fun late in the summer.
Mile 22 opens August 3.
Poster courtesy of STX Entertainment
I'm generally okay with Wahlberg's screen persona, because much like Dwayne Johnson and the other macho stars of this era, he seemingly has fun pushing himself in weird new directions from time to time. But I'm not much of a fan of the thinly veiled right-wing propaganda of his most recent outings, where Wahlberg always plays a down-to-earth guy with a burning love for 'Merica. I enjoyed Lone Survivor more than most of the ra-ra military movies of this day and age, but Deepwater and Patriots Day are forgettable at best, with the latter going to some especially cringe-worthy places at times. So it's safe to say that I wasn't all that enthused about the return of Wahlberg's tough guy act in Mile 22. The trailer begins with Wahlberg asking if we want to "live in a world where everyone feels cozy and validated all the time" or "one that works," and my snowflake eyeballs rolled all the way to the back of my head.
That being said, I actually kinda dig this trailer? Sure, I'm just going to have to put up with Wahlberg's silliness here, but Mile 22 looks like the kind of blunt force, refreshingly old school thriller that we just don't see enough of these days. The setpieces look crisp and intense, and it's worth noting that for all of his other faults, Berg is a very good director when it comes to staging action scenes (case in point: Watertown in Patriots Day). Plus, seeing The Raid's Iko Uwais beat up some bad guys (or good guys) is always a good time. Mile 22 could be as mediocre as this duo's last two outings, but this trailer gives me a hope for a bit of violent fun late in the summer.
Mile 22 opens August 3.
Poster courtesy of STX Entertainment
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