FORCE OF NATURE

US, 2020, 91 minutes, Colour.

Emile Hirsch, Kate Bosworth, Mel Gibson, David Zayas, Stefanie Cayo, Tyler Jon Olsen, William Catlett.

Directed by Michael Polish.

This is familiar kind of American action entertainment, the kind of film is that Bruce Willis and Nicolas Cage were making and the 2010s.

The setting is Puerto Rico, during the hurricane, with reminiscences of the devastation from the hurricane in 2018 – and the critical and inadequate response of President Donald Trump.

This time the hero is Emile Hirsch, rather short in stature, not the Willis-Cage image. He has had a disastrous experience in policing, the accidental shooting of his girlfriend, partner. At times suicidal, he has moved to Puerto Rico to a desk job.

In the meantime, there is a setup for the criminals, an attack on an elderly woman, taking a painting from her strong box, shootings, and intentions to steal more paintings.

After an incident in a supermarket where Emile Hirsch and his partner attend as part of their mission to help evacuees during the hurricane, the rest of the action is in the apartment block where they take the man who caused upset in the supermarket. Also in the apartment is an elderly man who has the paintings and is the target for the theft. And, an ailing cop, played by Mel Gibson, and his daughter, a doctor played by Kate Bosworth (who is married to the director, Michael Polish).

Mel Gibson has been playing in the kind of Willis-Cage action dramas also – but, this time, just like his nervy Lethal Weapon actor, only 30+ years later, Mel moving towards his mid-60s, and portraying a man full of ailments.

1. The title, hurricane in Puerto Rico, memories of the devastation from the hurricane and Donald Trump’s inadequate response?
2. The Puerto Rico settings, the island, the overviews, the beaches, restaurants, police precincts, apartment blocks, the streets? Most of the action taking place in the interior of the apartment block? The musical score?
3. Cardillo and his girlfriend, the call, the stakeout, the complainant, Cardillo shooting, his dismay, the sequence at home, the bath and contemplating suicide? The later visualising of the sequence again, the death of his partner, his girlfriend? The consequences?
4. John the Baptist, the old lady in red, accosting her in the bank, her box, the painting? Shooting her, shooting his accomplices, people in the bank? His driver and escape? His plan to get more paintings?
5. The hurricane, the police wanting evacuations, Cardillo asked to go, with Jess, his intention not to do anything, not to get police blame for complaints? The call to the supermarket? Jess responding?
6. The supermarket, panic buying, Griffin and his buying all the meat, the complainant and his son, the scuffle, the manager, the police? Withdrawal of charges? Cardillo and Jess accompanying him to his apartment, for the evacuation? Griffin, his room, the locked door, the meat, the Tiger, Cardillo dragging him out? Audiences waiting for the final attack from the Tiger, the Tiger attacking John the Baptist?
7. The people in the apartment, the old man downstairs, opening up, going upstairs to Griffin’s room? Ray, cop, his ailments, his daughter looking after him, doctor? The bond between them? His refusing to evacuate?
8. The police handling the situation of evacuation, the hurricane increasing?
9. The invasion of the criminals, John the Baptist and his gang, the old man’s room, the lock, finally the explosion, the basement, opening the safe, the empty safe? The search for the old man, the thugs and their guns?
10. The response of Cardillo and Jess, of Ray and his daughter? Cardillo and Troy going for the medication? For Griffin’s leg after the tiger biting? The medication for Ray? The cat and mouse sequences, the thugs stalking, the confrontations, shootouts, Troy and her shooting training, Cardillo and the struggle with the man on the roof, pulling him over the edge? The impact of the action sequences and the shooting?
11. The confrontation with the old man, his holding Griffin’s leg, Nazi background? The art treasures, his father and Nazi, bequeathing to him? Cardillo and persuading John the Baptist to come upstairs, the paintings in the secret room? The Vermeer in plain sight? John the Baptist wanting to open the locked door, Cardillo goading him, the audience wanting him to open the door, the tiger to come out – and the impact?
12. Ray, putting on his vest, shooting, the confrontation on the stairs, his daughter attending him, his death?
13. An entertaining action pastime show?