Movie review by Dennis D. McDonald

Call this one of those films that slipped in under the radar!

The story is straightforward: 3 crooks escaping after a heist-gone-awry take shelter in an abandoned and crumbling warehouse to wait till the heat is off. Unfortunately the warehouse is also used by a crime boss as the headquarters for a high stakes series of grisly (but never shown) dog fights. The crooks play cat and mouse with the cops, the crime boss, and a vicious killer dog that relentlessly pursues them.

It sounds like the outline of a low budget and forgettable B movie of the type that abounds on Amazon Prime. In the hands of the director, cinematographer, and a stellar cast (Brody, Malkovich, and Banderas) instead we have a taughtly composed action film interspersed with emotional backstories where the characters talk through their own past pet experiences — not all of which are pleasant.

John Malkovich, Adrien Brody, and Antonio Banderas make this film despite a script that sometimes lapses into silliness. But these guys are pros. They make even minor character exchanges seem real and heartfelt. Add to this some amazing action sequences that take advantage of the crumbling warehouse (it’s nearly impossible to tell what’s real and what’s CGI) and you have a very satisfying action film. Recommended.

Review copyright (c) 2018 by Dennis D. McDonald