20th Century Fox | 2009 | 110 mins | Rated PG-13
I haven’t been an avid fan of professional wrestling since I was a teenager in the mid-eighties–the WWE was the WWF and Hulk Hogan, Andre the Giant and Greg “The Hammer” Valentine were among the sport’s biggest stars–I’ve never seen John Cena in the ring but I did see his 2006 big screen debut, The Marine. In that film he played a man who is forced to rescue his wife after she is kidnapped. In his latest film 12 Rounds, Cena plays a guy on a mission to rescue his kidnapped girlfriend. You have to give the guy points for being consistent; at this rate in his next film he’ll have to rescue his kid!
Cena plays New Orleans uniform cop Danny Fisher. In the opening scene he appears hopeless; first he’s unable to find his badge and then his dog steals his gun. But alas, he’s able to get himself together and arrest an Irish terrorist named Miles Jackson (Aiden Gillen) which gets him promoted to detective. Unfortunately, during the bust the FBI’s plan went awry and Jackson’s girlfriend was killed. It’s a year later and Jackson has escaped from prison, determined to exact revenge on Danny Fisher for his girlfriend’s death.
Jackson kidnaps Fisher’s girlfriend Molly (Ashley Scott) and reveals the details of his plan to Danny. Luring him into a game he dubs “12 Rounds,” Jackson demands that Fisher complete 12 tasks: Get to this bank by a certain time, pull out this safety deposit box before it explodes, stop that runaway streetcar from killing everyone on board, etc. If he successfully completes the 12 rounds, he’ll get his precious girlfriend back. However, Jackson seems to have more than revenge on his mind as he stays one step ahead of Fisher and looks on as the detective leaves a path of death and destruction in his wake, as he frantically searches for Molly.
Fisher is assisted by his partner (Bryan White) and sometimes aided, sometimes hindered by a pair of FBI agents (Steve Harris and Gonzalo Menendez) who knew about Jackson’s escape from prison a couple weeks ago but didn’t think to tell the cop who arrested him. Yeah, that seems unbelievable but 12 Rounds totally disregards commons sense. Heck, at times Fisher doesn’t need to be put on the clock by Jackson, he does it himself. At one point Cena’s character declares, “If we don’t stop that ferry in the next 30 seconds, I’ll never see Molly again!” It’s all very over-the-top drama.
12 Rounds features a goofy story, bad direction (Renny Harlin hasn’t directed anything worthwhile In nearly twenty years) and bad acting. However, 12 Rounds has characteristics that diehard action fans will likely enjoy. The film is loud and physical, delivering 110 minutes of non-stop action. Filmed in New Orleans, Harlin features speeding busses, runaway trolleys, exploding buildings, smashed cars, and anything else along the way. The city becomes a funhouse of mass destruction. Who cares if it’s all a blatant rip-off of the Die Hard movies?
12 Rounds‘ 1080p, 2.35:1-framed transfer looks very impressive on Blu-ray. Fine detail is superb throughout; whether overhead shots of New Orleans that showcase buildings near and far to fine visual effect or closer street-level views that reveal the intricacies of the streets and structures, this transfer brings them to life. While the film does exhibit some grain, it’s far more subdued than many other action flicks. Colors also impress throughout; whether the red of a speeding fire engine or the blue of Fisher’s shirt, colors tend to pop off the screen, each taking on a vibrant yet natural hue that benefits the overall look of the film superbly. Flesh tones are solid but blacks often take on an artificially bright appearance. Otherwise, 12 Rounds delivers a strong 1080p transfer that offers well-above-average imagery throughout.
12 Rounds features an excellent DTS-HD MA 5.1 lossless soundtrack. The track is loud but never sacrifices clarity in the process. Several gunshots early in the film — the film’s biggest shootout — delivers crisp shots with a palpable thud that reverberate throughout the listening area. Dialogue is clear and doesn’t get lost in a sea of sound effects. 12 Rounds truly shines in its reproduction of action sound effects. A fire engine screams through the city in one sequence, crashing into untold numbers of automobiles and other obstacles, every crash delivering an explosive, series of crunches, thuds and other sound effects that bring the sequence to life and match up with the intensity and nonstop nature of the picture. The track also recreates subtler environments. A bar scene in chapter nine, one of the film’s few breather scenes, sounds excellent, as music, patron chatter, and noise may be heard scattered about the soundstage.
12 Rounds does have some special features:
• Two Cuts of the Film: The 108-minute theatrical cut and the 110-minute “extreme cut”.
• Two Audio Commentaries: Only available on the “extreme cut,” the first track features director Renny Harlin. The director talks about how he shot the film and the joy of shooting in New Orleans away from the usual rigidity that Hollywood requires. He also discusses what attracted him to the film. A pretty standard track. Track two features Writer Daniel Kunka and Actor John Cena, this one takes on a lighter, more free-flowing feel while discussing the ins and outs of making the film.
• Streetcar Crossing: Film with Caution (1080i, 16:27) takes a detailed, day-by-day look at the difficulties of shooting one of the film’s most spectacular action sequences in the middle of New Orleans.
• A Crash Course: John Cena Stunts (1080i, 9:51) looks at the dangerous stunts in the film and the participation of star John Cena in the film’s biggest, most challenging action scenes. Cena is afraid of heights.
• Never-Before-Cena Gag Reel (1080i, 4:50) Several lighthearted moments from the set.
• Keeping Score: The Music of 12 Rounds (1080i, 3:16) examines Trevor Rabin’s score and the process of recording it.
• Round and Round With Renny and John (1080i, 4:05) features the director and star discussing the film with one another.
• Bonus Rounds (1080i, 20:22) is a collection of 12 short extras that look at a broad array of topics, including the origins of the script.
• Two Alternate Endings (1080p, 1:58) with optional commentaries from Renny Harlin, John Cena, and Daniel Kunka, and two “viral videos:” Hands (1080p, 2:45) and Helicopter (0:55).
• Disc two of this set contains a Digital Copy of 12 Rounds.
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