“There are two kinds of people in this world: men of action and everyone else.” —Evan Lake
Today’s quick review: Dying of the Light. Evan Lake (Nicolas Cage) has spent a lifetime serving the CIA, but now a degenerative neurological condition is forcing him to retire. Before he leaves the intelligence game for good, Lake wants one last shot at Muhammad Banir (Alexander Karim), a terrorist who eluded him two decades before. With his protege Milton Schultz (Anton Yelchin) in tow, Lake travels to Bucharest in search of Banir.
Dying of the Light is a budget action movie about the last mission of a terminally ill CIA agent. Nicolas Cage stars as Evan Lake, whose condition has begun to affect his memory, his judgment, and his senses. Lake must hang on to his health just long enough to get his revenge on Banir, a man the rest of the world believes is dead. Dying of the Light aims to be a moving thriller about a dying man; howeve,r its execution leaves much to be desired.
Dying of the Light has a decent setup but lacks the skill to do much with it. Lake’s obsession with revenge, his deteriorating mental condition, and the elusive nature of Banir all have the potential for good drama. However, the combination of a mediocre script and stiff acting keeps the story from going anywhere special. Every time the movie appears to be building to something clever or meaningful, it backs down and goes with a safer option.
Dying of the Light may have mild interest for budget action fans, but it finds itself outclassed by big-budget movies with more polish and low-budget movies with more spirit. The seeds of potential are there, but they never truly take root. Most viewers would be better off with something that either has flashier action or a more carefully assembled script.
For another thriller about a dying spy’s last mission, try 3 Days to Kill. For a CIA action movie in a similar vein, try The Double, The Recruit, or The Bourne Legacy. For a more mundane spy drama, check out Breach.
4.4 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it a 5.0 for a few good ideas and weak execution.