Introduction
Recently released in 2023, Pierre Morel’s action-comedy film Freelance pays homage to the early 2000s jungle-set adventures that were ubiquitous in Hollywood. With a cast including John Cena, Alison Brie, Juan Pablo Raba, and Christian Slater, the film seeks to blend satire with political themes and action spectacles to create a humorous adventure. Attempting to revive the mid-budget action movie, Freelance is packed with quick-witted banter and star-studded name. While the film is moderately budgeted at 40 million, the uneven tone and underdeveloped themes detract from achieving the goals set ‘cross a fictional South America.
Plot Summary
Starring as Mason Pettits is the former U.S. army special forces turned corporate lawyer. To escape his old life, he is married to Jenny, Alice Eve, but the relationship is distant and comes with a strained connection. Facing the consequences of a Paldonia named mission where Mason heroically ejected from a helicopter blazed with life threatening injuries, coupled with the loss of team members, reinforced his decision to walk away from the military world.
When Sebastian Earle, an old military buddy of Mason’s and now a private security contractor played by Christian Slater, offers him the job of guarding a journalist in Paldonia, Mason outright rejects the offer. The journalist is Claire Wellington, played by Alison Brie, a fierce interrogator known for her unapologetic querying and solid principles. She has to Paldonia to meet with its president and interview him. Juan Venegas, the dictator-elect, is known for being charismatic so the interview is likely to be explosive. Eventually, Mason takes the job, but only to help pay the bills and provide some semblance of financial stability for his family.
Things take a serious turn when a violent coup erupts midway through the interview. Claire, Mason and Venegas are forced to flee into the jungle to avoid being captured. The rest of the film tracks through their dense forest and rebel-ridden territory as they piece together the plan behind the coup while trying to survive.
While traversing through the wilderness, Claire and Mason start to bond, albeit reluctantly. They begin to understand each other beyond their initial stereotypes. Venegas, who is portrayed as a typical strongman, shows some depth to his character, including a desire to reform his country and resist foreign exploitation. The real antagonist is revealed to be Venegas’s nephew Jorge collaborating with a mercenary leader who seeks power and control over the nation’s resources.
Mason and Claire assist Venegas in retaking control of the presidential palace in the film’s climax. Democracy is restored, albeit cautiously. Venegas gets paid a hefty payout and finally reunites with his family, gaining closure for his past traumas.
John Cena as Mason Pettits: Cena brings his usual mix of physical presence and comedic timing. As Mason, he plays a man trying to find purpose and redemption.
Alison Brie as Claire Wellington: A journalist with integrity, Brie’s Claire provides a counterpoint to Mason’s cynicism although the script often sidelines her complexity.
Juan Pablo Raba as President Juan Venegas: Raba gives a surprisingly layered performance as the dictator with reformist aspirations.
Christian Slater as Sebastian Earle: The morally questionable former soldier adds a lackluster yet familiar archetype.
Alice Eve as Jenny Pettits: Emotionally exasperated and concerned, Mason’s wife deepens the emotional complexity of his choices.
Marton Csokas as Colonel Koehorst: A generic villain archetype as the coup leader serving as the final antagonist to the heroes.
Direction and Style
Pierre Morel has become known for directing action blockbusters such as “Taken,” and he employs a recognizable action-thriller structure in “Freelance.” However, the film does not possess the sharpness and refinement of his earlier films. The pacing is harmed by distribution gunfight exchanges and banter, dialogue, sometimes insidiously undermining the dramatic tension. The action sequences themselves are adequate, including the requisite jungle shootouts, car chases, and explosions, but are rather predictable.
The film’s visuals are fresh and polished, thanks to Thierry Arbogast. Colombia served as the sole filming location, allowing him to capture the vibrant jungles as well as the grandeur of the imaginary presidential palace. The score by Elliot Leung and Geoff Zanelli provides the film with the feel of a traditional blockbuster but without catchy themes.
Themes and Tone
Freelance touches on themes such as redemption, foreign intervention, media manipulation, and individual accountability. These ideas are presented but not explored in depth. The film flirts with political satire but never commits fully. While Venegas is depicted as an archetypal leader attempting to balance power with reform, this character development is lost due to the film’s focus on maintaining a lighthearted tone.
The film alternates between a buddy comedy and a geopolitical thriller. The blend of serious political commentary with rom-com elements results in jarring shifts in tone. Mason and Claire’s developing romance is intended to provide an emotional anchor for the story, but their amiable chemistry is undercut by shallow writing and comes off as insipid.
Critical and Commercial Reception
Freelance garnered mostly negative reviews upon release. Reviewers noted a lack of originality, poor tonal balance, and weak character development as central concerns. While critics recognized Cena and Brie’s energetic performances, the material available did not allow them to elevate the story.
The film did not perform well commercially. Duringits opening weekend, the film garnered approximately $3 million domestically, ultimately totalling just over $10 million. This amount did not even begin to cover the production costs. From there, the film was made available on premium video-on-demand services and subsequently released on home media.
Unlike critics who overwhelmingly savaged the film, broader audiences seem to be a bit more lenient. Some viewers remarked the movie was a reasonable form of harmless entertainment for a calm night out. It had some nostalgic value that appealed to mid-2000s action comedy fans, dù some found it too old-fashioned.
Performance Highlights
John Cena is transforming from a wrestler to an actor, and with this change, we can see some flexibility in his ability to perform dramatic roles and do comedy. The film currently features his performance as an anchor, which was commendable even if the script had its weak points. A great portion of the film brie spends more time with Alison gives decent performance, which combined with character shalowness becomes another example of a strong ensemble work.
Juan Pablo Raba makes a strong Venegas by bringing in some unforeseen weight to the role. He gives the film’s political subplot some fleeting legitimacy with balance between charm and menace.
Conclusion
Freelance is an action-comedy with charismatic actors, exotic settings, and a mixture of bullets and banter. Despite some moments of zest and appeal, the film does not manage to create a unique identity. It offers thrills that many have experienced, but because the film is caught in-between genres and it’s unsure of what tone to take, it lacks a lasting impression.
For viewers hoping to enjoy an action film that does not require mental strain, with lighthearted humor, and overused clichés, Freelance might just do the job. However, those expecting sharp satire and compelling characters, or a modernized take on the genre will be disappointed. This film serves as a reminder that in the action-comedy genre, charm and explosions are not always enough; what matters most is the story.
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