Today’s quick review: Mile 22. James Silva (Mark Wahlberg) leads a CIA black ops team that handles the jobs the government cannot officially touch. While stationed in Southeast Asia, Silva and his team (Lauren Cohan, Ronda Rousey, and Carlo Alban) scramble to recover a shipment of stolen cesium that could be used to bomb several major cities. Their only lead is Li Noor (Iko Uwais), a cop that the corrupt local government wants dead.
Mile 22 is an action thriller about a CIA black ops team trying to extract an invaluable informant from hostile territory. The movie has a knack for tense action, with an emphasis on quick thinking under pressure and using advanced technology in creative ways. The highlights include fast-paced urban firefights, brutal martial arts scenes involving Iko Uwais, and a plot that, while typical for the genre, manages to pack one or two nice twists.
Mile 22’s main weakness is that it overdoes things. Silva and the other characters occasionally cross the line from high-strung professionals to simply abrasive. The fast-paced camerawork can be a lot to take in, particularly when the movie is cutting back and forth between scenes. The violent action will be a draw for some viewers and a turn-off for others. Finally, the movie tries a little too hard to make Silva and his team look good.
The end result is a tightly packed action thriller that will please fans of the genre, but which holds few surprises for more critical viewers. Mile 22 is a competent execution of a reliable formula. It adds its own touches to the formula in a few minor ways, including the tense character interactions and the focus on technology. But ultimately, how much you get out of Mile 22 will depend on how much you like the violent, tactical side of the genre.
For a deeper dive on an action hero with an unconventional mind, try The Accountant. For a more moving story about escaping from hostile territory, try Black Hawk Down. For another action thriller in the same vein, try Extraction or American Assassin. For a better use of Iko Uwais’ martial arts talents, check out The Raid: Redemption or The Raid 2.
[6.1 out of 10 on IMDB](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt4560436/). I give it a 6.5 to 7.0 for solid action and tense plot.