The Devil's Fortune
Critic:
Jason Knight
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Posted on:
Apr 14, 2022
Directed by:
Rubidium Wu
Written by:
Rubidium Wu
Starring:
Connor Keene, Derek Orr, Craig Ng, Dre Davis
Bad guys are after a man for the information that he holds.
James (Keene) lives in Los Angeles with his wife Jess (Davis) and they are expecting their first child. James works as a Fund Manager and one day his partner Leigh is found brutally murdered. It soon becomes apparent that the perpetrators were looking for something they believed Leigh possessed and now they are after James. James must evade his pursuers and find out what they are looking for in order to prevent further atrocities.
This is an enjoyable chase thriller, with plenty of suspense, nail-biting moments and drama. The audience follows James, a simple man, as he unwillingly gets in way over his head in a dangerous plot that involves the fortune of a former Middle Eastern dictator and ruthless Iraqi criminals who are willing to do anything to get their hands on it. There is the constant fear of death, people pointing guns at others while threatening them, people getting killed and James desperately trying to sort everything out, along with the help of an associate named Kong (Ng) and the hot-headed detective Mills (Orr).
The movie quickly gets the viewer's attention with the intriguing plot and continues to do so with plot twists and interesting characters. The action scenes are limited and some scenes feel overlong. The most appealing aspect is wondering what will happen next.
Generally, the acting is OK. Keene is a likeable hero, goodhearted, intelligent, who faces circumstances that force him to do his best to stay one step ahead of the villains. Orr has a supporting role as an experienced and determined detective and Ng plays a friendly, reliable ally to James.
As director, Wu does a good job and creates great establishing shots. Lee Groves develops a score that is tense and includes electronic music. Special mention goes to the opening credits.
This is a thriller that evolves around the idea of the protagonist's life being in danger. Some might find the end to be a bit anticlimactic, nevertheless, this is still a feature that provides an enjoyable experience with a lot of suspense.