Outside the Wire ★

Mikael Håfström

Starring Anthony Mackie, Damson Idris, Pilou Asbæk, Emily Beecham, Michael Kelly

As the opening credits roll you would be forgiven for grabbing your games console controller and preparing yourself for some Modern Warfare. In fact, the majority of the first half is like an extended cut-scene, any moment it could pull back and it would be down to you to finish the story.

And I wish it was down to me, or someone else at least, to finish this story. What followed the opening credits was tired, weak and inconsistent at times. I find that a script that leans on swearing tends to be hiding its weaknesses and that turned out to be the case here too.

Anthony Mackie and Damson Idris do their best but the characters are half-baked. There are moments that are a bit fun, with Mackie's character providing the lion's share of the watchable action. But mostly, the plot relied on masculinity, guns and a sci-fi concept that was not fully realised.

This is an anti-war message movie that is filled with pro-war imagery; a message of finding the humanity, while subsequently shooting random people as they walk by. It was just about watchable...just!

Outside the Wire available now on Netflix