Taylor Hackford's Parker

Still suffering the effects from weekend food poisoning, I settled in last night for a viewing of Taylor Hackford's Parker. I've never been a Taylor Hackford fan. I always think of his movies as dumbed down for a mass audience trapped at a junior-high level of comprehension. There is no better example of what I'm talking about here than Ray (2004).

But with Parker, Hackford is working with action, tough-guy star Jason Statham (who seems to make three pictures a year). No dumbing down is required.

I like Jason Statham. Safe (2012), a story written and directed by Boaz Yakin about a fighter and former cop (played by Statham) caught between the Russian mafia and the Chinese Triads, is thoroughly enjoyable. But Parker is not of that caliber.

Parker is a movie we've all seen before. A heist picture with a double-cross. The plots chugs along, and the the viewer's interest is maintained by the slimmest of margins. A great deal of credit for any success the film enjoys should go to Jennifer Lopez, who manages to take an unbelievable character and make her the most interesting part of the movie.