ARMED RESPONSE (2017) *

The government covertly sets up several “temples” around the globe. These temples are high-tech rendition centers that utilize a super computer to extract information from terrorists.  (It’s kind of like a liar detector on steroids.) When one of the temples mysteriously go offline, Wesley Snipes enlists the help of its inventor (David Annable) to figure out what happened.  Snipes and his team gain access to the temple and find the temple’s security team dead.  The computer then locks Snipes and his crew inside and sets out to make them its next victims.

Director John Stockwell sets everything up economically enough, but once Snipes and company arrive at the temple, it becomes a shitty Guys with Guns Walking Around in the Dark movie.  Speaking of dark, the whole movie is so dark at times that it’s difficult to tell what the hell is going on.  (The overuse of shaky-cam footage captured from GoPro cameras attached to the soldiers’ helmets and guns gets nauseating almost instantly.)  It’s a big departure for Stockwell whose bread and butter is brightly-lit movies such as Blue Crush and Into the Blue.

The horror elements that rear their head in the second half are painfully half-assed too.  It’s sort of like a variation on those Your Worst Fear Can Kill You movies.  When you finally see what the hell it is that’s been attacking them, it’s a fucking joke.  There are a few gore scenes in the final act, but it’s too late in the game to make much of a difference.

Obscured behind a pair of big sunglasses and a low brimmed hat and speaking in an overly gravelly voice, Snipes rightfully tries to hide his face for most of the movie.  Gene Simmons is equally unrecognizable in a small role, and Anne Heche looks miserable as Snipes’ second in command.  I can’t say I blame any of them.  Since it was a WWE production, you’ve got to have a wrestler in there somewhere.  That dubious dishonor goes to Seth Rollins, who skates by from just acting like he’s still in the ring.

Stockwell is a talented filmmaker.  He recently made the Kickboxer remake, which was tons of fun.  Armed Response on the other hand, is just a dark, dreary, murky mess.