12 ROUNDS 2: RELOADED (2013) *

12 Rounds was a decent WWE action movie that proved to be a better showcase for its director (Renny Harlin) than the WWE superstar it was supposed to be promoting (John Cena).  This unrelated sequel piqued my interested because it was directed by Roel Reine, a prolific director of enjoyable DTV action sequels.  In fact, many of his films manage to eclipse (or at the very least, honor) their higher-budgeted predecessors.  I’m sad to report that 12 Rounds 2:  Reloaded is the first one of his films I’ve seen that just flat out sucks. 

Randy Orton stars as an EMT who administers first aid at the scene of a car accident while off duty.  One year later, he gets a mysterious call from an unknown caller who forces him to jump through various (twelve to be precise) hoops all over the city or run the risk of being blown up.  If you haven’t already guessed, the mastermind behind it all is seeking retribution for Orton’s actions in the opening scene.

Done right, the premise could’ve worked.  It’s just that there’s very little drive here to keep you invested.  It’s hard to care about the villain’s predictable plight and Orton’s character is so thinly sketched that it becomes nearly impossible to root for him.  It’s also incredibly skimpy when it comes to action, which is the big problem.  The shootouts and car chases are few and far between and seem like small potatoes compared to the original’s set pieces (and most of Reine’s films to be honest).   The finale is particularly lame, but the ultimate kiss of death is that it’s just plain boring.

The good news, Reine and Orton fared much better with their next outing, the unabashedly fun The Condemned 2.