The 2nd (2020)

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This cheap, bizarre action flick might have benefited from dropping its main heroic character.

Major Vic Davis (Ryan Phillippe) goes to a college campus to pick up his estranged, theater major son Shawn (Jack Griffo) for some bonding time over Christmas break. Shawn is making goo-goo eyes with Erin (a great Lexi Simonsen), the daughter of U.S. Supreme Court Justice Walton (a too stiff Randy Charach). The Court is deciding a gun control issue, hence the terrible title, and some powers-that-be send smooth domestic terrorist "Driver" (Casper Van Dien) and his crew to kidnap Erin and sway the Justice's decision. The film then takes the "Die Hard" route as Davis and his charge fight the baddies.

I don't know what Phillippe, Van Dien, and William McNamara are taking to appear middle aged awesome, but I'd like a prescription, please. Phillippe and Griffo appear to be the same age. This is a tried-and-true formula, but the film is so outlandish and muddled, it's like watching a trainwreck. Most of the gun shots are obvious powder squibs, you know it's Christmas because of the one wreath nailed to the wall in the elevator and the harsh green and red light gels, and the film feels at least half an hour longer than it is. The politics are murky, you don't know what side of the gun control debate the film is on (which wouldn't be a big deal, but the title is the amendment they are supporting but not supporting). I liked the Shawn/Erin dynamic more, it would have been interesting if Vic was dropped from the action altogether, taking a secondary role either through his son's memories (he taught Shawn how to defend himself) or communicating with him from the outside. If the villains had taken a break from nefariously swigging whiskey during dialogue scenes, they might have sobered up enough to make their conspiracy work. The film sets up a sequel no one seems to be very interested in pursuing; would that be "The 3rd," where housing military soldiers in civilian homes in a time of war takes center stage? Phillippe co-produced too, maybe trying to jump start his own action franchise.

There's a likable cast here, but not enough meat on the bone to generate a series from the material. No seconds, I'm full.

Stats:
(2020) 93 min. (* 1/2) out of five stars
-Directed by Brian Skiba
-Written by Eric Bromberg & Paul Taegel, Story by Eric Bromberg & James Bromberg
-Cast: Ryan Phillippe, Casper Van Dien, William Katt, William McNamara, Jack Griffo, Lexi Simonsen, Randy Charach, Richard Burgi, Samaire Armstrong, Jacob Grodnik, Chris Jai Alex, Gene Freeman, Tank Jones, James Logan
(R)