Another miss by Netf  lix

Another miss by Netf  lix

Last Days Of American Crime imprisoned by incoherent plot, laughable dialogue

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
Another miss by Netf  lix
Michael Pitt, Anna Brewster and Édgar Ramírez in The Last Days Of American Crime. (Photos © NETFLIX)

I'm not afraid of a long story and in fact enjoy long movies if the film is engaging or when there is a payoff. A lengthy movie means there's more room for the filmmaker to add more complexity and character development. I will gladly sit there for three or four hours and love every second of it. But sadly, that's not the case with Netflix's original action/heist thriller The Last Days Of American Crime. During its two hours and 30 minutes, I found myself struggling to finish the film the entire time.

Based on Rick Remender and Greg Tocchini's 2009 graphic novel of the same name and directed by Olivier Megaton, The Last Days Of American Crime is about the final response to terrorism and crime. It tells the story of a dystopian near future where the US government invents a broadcast signal that prevents people from committing crime, as citizens are planted with a chip that freezes them in the act.

Édgar Ramírez plays Graham Bricke, an experienced criminal with a rough past who decides to team up a famous Mafia son, Kevin Cash, played by Michael Pitt, and his attractive computer hacker girlfriend Shelby Dupree, played by Anna Brewster, to pull off the biggest heist in history and hopefully get away free before the signal goes online. And, if successful, will literally be the last American crime.

I had never read the graphic novel on which this movie is based, but was intrigued by the premise -- a sci-fi dystopian future mixed with action-packed heist story. But unfortunately, the concept was poorly executed and too drawn out as the movie is unnecessarily lengthy and could have been told in a much better fashion in less time.

Anna Brewster and Édgar Ramírez. Netflix

There is too much unnecessary downtime in between action scenes. The movie is filled with so many scenes full of exposition, full of moments that don't tie into the overarching plot and mean nothing to the story.

By the halfway point, we kind of know what the three lead characters are all about. They're not hard to figure out as evidenced by their unsophisticated dialogue.

You have the brooding alpha male Bricke, who is pretty quiet and stilted. I think his character is trying to come across as hurt and damaged. But really, he just felt robotic and annoying. Pitt's insane loose cannon character is quite over the top and animated, and then you have the stereotypical femme fatale character of Shelby. And that's what they are for the entire film with no development whatsoever.

The dystopian concept is interesting, as is the idea of Americans rebelling against an authoritarian police state. If only it explored those elements deeper, instead of focusing on these three main characters, with a love triangle cliché and gratuitous sex scenes to boot.

The movie also wastes a fine, albeit unnecessary, performance by Sharlto Copley as the frustrated cop William Sawyer. Copley is known for his star turns in the more heralded sci-fi movies District 9 (2009) and Elysium (2013), so it's sad to see him so overlooked in this film.

Overall, The Last Days Of American Crime is just another action movie that takes way too long to tell its story, and could have been better executed. I would highly recommend skipping this one.

  • The Last Days Of American Crime
  • Starring Édgar Ramírez, Anna Brewster, Michael Pitt, Sharlto Copley
  • Directed by Olivier Megaton
  • Now streaming on Netflix
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