Fletch's Mini Film Review: War, Inc.

John Cusack stars in this political satire about - stop me if you've heard this one before - an assassin struggling with the morals (or lack thereof) of his profession who meets up with a vivacious brunette who helps him change his ways. Sister Joan co-stars as his assistant, as does Dan Aykroyd and a number of black suits and skinny black ties.

Joan and/or a number of others involved may wish to call this the unofficial or spiritual sequel to Grosse Pointe Blank, but I'd have preferred that they had just made a different film. That's not to say that War, Inc. is bad - it's not. It is, however, distracting, in an film that's just different enough in tone and target from Grosse, to share so many elements with the "original."

Along the way, prepare yourself to either nod in agreement or shake your head in anger at the message dealt, depending on your political persuasion. There are laughs to be found, for sure, particularly from an audibly unrecognizable Ben Kingsley and from some clever kills by Cusack. Marisa Tomei is game as the journalist that helps opens the assassin's eyes, and Hilary Duff is in over her head playing a Middle Eastern pop star. Joan steals her scenes as usual, but also, as usual, makes me wonder how this woman that's three years older than her brother (45 vs. 42) can look like his mother. Yay for a refreshing lack of plastic surgery, I suppose, but boo for my eyes.

Fletch's Film Rating:

"You seem a decent fellow. I hate to kill you."