Chris Pine and Ben Foster steady an uneven action thriller in their third collaboration. The Contractor tells an all too familiar story of betrayal and vengeance. But does it with tense gunplay that's ably delivered by the skilled leads. They make the best of the beginning's contrived melodrama. Then strap on suppressed assault rifles for a ferocious, bullet-riddled second act. The film kicks into a higher gear that revs up the pacing. Action junkies will certainly get a fix here.
At Fort Bragg in North Carolina, Sergeant James Harper (Pine) trains vigorously for his next deployment. An elite special forces soldier with three combat tours, he uses drugs to help his reconstructed knee heal. This results in a failed blood test that gets him honorably discharged from the Army. He loses his pension and medical benefits. His wife, Brianne (Gillian Jacobs), worries he'll succumb to PTSD. They are overwhelmed by debt. Harper refuses to let her and their son (Sander Thomas) struggle financially. He's haunted by his father's failures.
Harper reaches out to Mike (Ben Foster), his former commanding officer and dear friend. Mike has made a fortune working for Rusty Jennings (Kiefer Sutherland). He runs a private security company that does black ops for the government. Jennings promises Harper a significant payday. He assigns them both to a top secret mission in Berlin.
Establishing The Characters
The Contractor spends the first act establishing James Harper as a desperate family man. The characters discuss fallen comrades who couldn't acclimate to civilian life. Veteran suicides are heartbreaking and continue to be a serious problem. The film addresses the issue. But it feels a bit like lip service exposition. As does the lightning speed at which Harper is unceremoniously booted from the service. He accepts his fate too easily. A dedicated soldier would have pursued further recourse. The script needed realism in forcing Harper's exit. And more screen time of Jennings convincing him to join. A shady Kiefer Sutherland would ring anyone's alarm.
The Contractor goes from precision tactics to blistering combat. Swedish director Tarik Saleh, known for his documentaries and music videos (Lykke Li's "I Follow Rivers"), has a good eye for staging surveillance and escalating conflict. Harper watches the target before the team plans their assault. He camouflages himself and stalks like a hunter with unwitting prey. Saleh presents Harper as a meticulous warrior. Then contrasts later in the film with spectacular, bloody firefights. The action scenes are definitely impressive.
Tremendous Screen Presence
Chris Pine has tremendous screen presence. He's on his own for a good chunk of the narrative. He's believable as a dedicated husband and father who can ruthlessly kill under duress. His leading man gravitas is always supported by Ben Foster. They have a fantastic give and take that brings out their best. The pair continue to successfully run the emotional gamut. The Contractor isn't nearly on the level of The Finest Hours and Hell or High Water. But their excellent screen chemistry and crisp action makes the film worth seeing.
The Contractor is a production of STX Films, Thunder Road Films, and 30West. It will have an April 1st VOD and theatrical release from Paramount Pictures.