By Chris Kavan - 08/30/17 at 10:33 AM CT
It seems like every week brings on more and more dire news at the box office - and Labor Day Weekend isn't likely to save what is looking to be the slowest summer movie season in over a decade. But, hey, at least the ratings board is still keeping up their end of things. I have two action-packed films getting their due - one featuring Jackie Chan as a man pushed too far (and you should know never to push that guy too far) and one featuring Michael Keaton as a strict black ops teacher who maybe also pushed someone a little too far - and turned a gifted soldier in to a highly-trained terrorist. Plus, you know, the other usual assortment of limited release and such suspects. Let's get it on!
Jackie Chan is known as that crazy guy who always does his own stunts (and he has the injuries to prove it!) but the man is pushing 65, he isn't going to be twirling around ladders and jumping several stories anymore. But that doesn't mean he is giving up on his career - he's just choosing more subtle ways to showcase his talents. Hence, The Foreigner, in which Chan plays Quan, a seemingly humble businessman, who watches with horror when a terrorist bomb takes the life of his daughter. Quan seeks out Liam Hennessy (Pierce Brosnan), a government official who once had ties to the terrorist organization before going straight. Quan seems to think he still has contacts, and when he doesn't get the answers he seeks - he shows that Hennessy isn't the only one with a shady past, and brings his own brand of justice until he finds those responsible for the bombing. Katie Leung, Orla Brady, Michael McElhatton, Charlie Murphy and Simon Kunz help round out the cast. Don't worry, based on the trailers, Chan still gets in plenty of fight scenes and stunts - I'm guessing he is slowing things down, but he's by no means counting things out. Rated R for violence, language and some sexual material.
On the other hand, American Assassin is going for a more... direct approach to its story. Michael Keaton plays a Cold War veteran Stan Hurley, a man dedicated to turning raw recruits in to deadly black ops agents - no matter the cost. Mitch Rapp (Dylan O'Brien) is a new recruit - a man who has great motivation, and the skill to go along with it, in order to become a top agent. But their target, who goes by the name of Ghost (Taylor Kitsch) also happens to be a former student of Hurley, one of the best he had ever seen, but he has gone rogue and now uses his training in order to bring about a new war in the Middle East. The film has a lot going on - maybe too much - but I think action fans should be happy with the results. Sanaa Lathan, Scott Adkins and Shiva Negar round out the cast. Rated R for strong violence throughout, some torture, language and brief nudity.
Those are the big two for this week, but be sure to check out the full MPAA Ratings Bulletin below:
AMERICAN ASSASSIN
Rated R for strong violence throughout, some torture, language and brief nudity.
BAND AID
Rated R for language throughout, sexual content, drug use and some nudity.
CAN YOU EVER FORGIVE ME?
Rated R for language including some sexual references, and brief drug use.
THE FOREIGNER
Rated R for violence, language and some sexual material.
KRYSTAL
Rated R for language throughout, drug use, some nudity and brief sexuality.
LADY-LIKE
Rated R for crude sexual material and language throughout, and brief graphic nudity.
LOVE BEATS RHYMES
Rated R for language and some sexual material.
MARIAH CAREY'S ALL I WANT FOR CHRISTMAS IS YOU
Rated G
ONCE UPON A TIME AT CHRISTMAS
Rated R for bloody horror violence, and language including sexual references.
POSTER BOYS
Rated PG-13 for some suggestive content.
STRONGER
Rated R for language throughout, some graphic injury images, and brief sexuality/nudity.
