Stepping out of their known comfort zone, with NO ESCAPE the Brothers Dowdle deliver a high octane, heart pounding thriller starring Owen Wilson, Lake Bell and Pierce Brosnan. Directed by John Erick Dowdle and co-written with brother Drew, the boys seamlessly move from horror to action as they populate the film with edge of your seat nail biting tension courtesy of some of the most dynamic performances you have seen to date from Wilson and Bell.
Set in an unnamed country somewhere in Southeast Asia, we meet Jack and Annie Dwyer and their two lovely little girls, Lucy and Beeze. Jack has just taken a job with a seemingly socially responsible company that designs clean water systems for “fourth world” countries (yay!) But then privatizes the water distribution system for profit. Along with the job, comes a relocation to Southeast Asia, putting the family at an uneasy disadvantage from the start. Thanks to the adorable Beeze though, during their flight over they meet a British ex-pat named Hammond, a frequent visitor to the country in search of women, wine and really bad karaoke, who gives them some tips on the lay of the land. Unbeknownst to the Dwyers and Hammond, however, while in mid-flight, a coup-de-tete has taken place on the ground and the country’s military ruler is assassinated by ruthless revolutionaries.
On arriving, the Dwyers are not met by the promised company liaison or car, which has Annie questioning the situation from the start. The family is saved by Hammond who introduces them to a local whom he knows well, Kenny Rogers, and provides transportation to their luxury hotel accommodations.
By morning, the Dwyers start to discover this isn’t the idyllic paradise represented in travel guides and Jack’s employment brochures. An angry mob assembles on the street below and then quickly takes over the control, executing all Westerners on sight. Seems they have a problem with Jack’s new employer and given welcome banners prominently displayed in the hotel lobby with Jack’s picture, they are gunning for Jack – literally and figuratively. And so the race for survival “behind enemy lines” is on with Jack trying to save not only himself, but his family.
And let’s just say, it doesn’t hurt that Hammond is along for the ride.
Owen Wilson soars. I saw this with his performance in 2001’s “Behind Enemy Lines” as pilot Chris Burnett shot down in Serbian territory and racing through Eastern Europe trying to survive. Wilson brings that same energy and dynamic to the table here as Jack Dwyer but with the added layer of a protective parent and husband. His courage and love for family is palpable with every moment.
Joining Wilson is Lake Bell. We saw some great physicality and stunt work from her in “Black Rock”, something which I suggested she should do more of given her proficiency. Bell doesn’t disappoint and continues to prove herself worthy of that action mettle while truly embracing the demeanor of a maternal lioness protecting her cubs.
Wilson and Bell together are positively gripping as they invest us in these characters, in the family and in the survivalist and protective mode, while creating indelible individual characters that fuel one another.
And then there’s Brosnan. Pierce Brosnan. As I’m certain you have already ascertained, Hammond is not the buffoonish rapscallion he appears to be at first blush. Capitalizing on that, Brosnan is perfection as he makes Hammond a blend of Remington Steele/James Bond with a rakish touch of that as “The Matador”. Simply divine.
Scene stealing are Sterling Jerins and Claire Geare as Lucy and Beeze, the latter of whom just melts your heart with every look, and who is actually based on the Dowdles younger sister of the same name.
Supporting characters representing the revolutionaries and cookie-cutter in nature and casting, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing, as it allows our focus to hone in on the Dwyers and their specific adventure.
Directed by John Erick Dowdle and co-written with brother Drew, the script is tight and the action even tighter. Thanks to John’s eye and the work of cinematographer Leon Hinstin, intensity is ratcheted through the roof. Hand-held camera embeds the audience in the moment while several of the crane/helicopter rooftop shots create some real heart-stopping moments. Compounding the excellence of the action is the work of editor Elliott Greenberg who keeps the film moving at a clipped pace, matching the momentum of the action itself, beat for beat.
From a story standpoint, going beyond the family/fish out of water aspect, if you listen and pay attention to the story, the geo-economic and geopolitical subtext is timely, topical, powerful, and sadly, applicable to so many regions of today’s world, serving to buttress fears of Americans travelling to foreign soil.
No surprise here with Marco Beltrami scoring for heart pounding bombastic thrills.
NO ESCAPE is an intelligent thriller that leaves you breathless!
Directed by John Erick Dowdle
Written by Drew Dowdle and John Erick Dowdle
Cast: Owen Wilson, Lake Bell, Pierce Brosnan
