Today’s quick review: Quicksand. Martin Raikes (Michael Keaton), a New York banker, travels to Monaco to investigate a tip about a money laundering operation. Oleg (Rade Sherbedgia), the head of the operation, attempts to buy Martin off, but when he refuses, Oleg has him framed for murder. Hunted by the police, Martin turns to Lela Forin (Judith Godreche), the CFO of Oleg’s operation, and Jake Mellow (Michael Caine), a washed-up actor, for help.
Quicksand is an action thriller starring Michael Keaton. The movie follows a reliable template for the genre: an innocent man is framed for murder and must avoid his pursuers long enough to clear his name. Oleg and his underlings weave a tight web around Martin, making the plot a series of close calls and desperate gambles as Martin tries to figure out who he can trust. However, lackluster execution and limited thrills hold the movie back.
Quicksand has a hard time keeping the audience’s interest. Martin makes for a lukewarm protagonist with a bland personality and no special skills. His attempts to clear his name are never that well thought out, so the movie has to rebuild its momentum from scratch whenever one of them fails. None of the action scenes are especially memorable, and while the mechanics of the plot are serviceable, they lack the follow-through to make them work.
Quicksand checks the boxes it needs to to be a passable thriller, but it’s missing the drive that the best movies in the genre have. The plot holds mild interest for fans of the genre, and the script toys with one or two interesting ideas. But ultimately, the movie’s shaky fundamentals make it an easy one to skip. Action fans can do better.
For a much more robust take on a similar premise, try The Fugitive. For a thriller in the same vein with sharper action, try Shooter. For a classic spy thriller that builds up a more engrossing conspiracy without relying too heavily on action, try Three Days of the Condor. For a lighter action thriller about an innocent man swept up in matters beyond his control, try The Tourist.
[5.3 out of 10 on IMDB](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0271136/). I give it a 6.0 for a decent premise with mixed execution.