Jerry Bruckheimer has produced some of the most popular Hollywood action film in past decades, but his impressive filmography also included number of stinkers. The latter represents something of an understatement in career of Joel Schumacher, whose Batman & Robin nearly destroyed superhero genre in Holllywood. So, when those two names worked together, like with 2002 action comedy Bad Company, it wasn’t too surprising that the result of their efforts might have left plenty to be desired.
The plot begins when CIA agent Kevin Pope (played by Chris Rock) gets killed during important mission during which he was supposed to obtain thermonuclear suitcase bomb. Before his death, Pope has arranged deal with Adrik Vas (played by Peter Stormare), former Soviet colonel in possession of said device. CIA is desperate to finish deal and, by chance, discovers that Pope had twin brother named Jake Hayes (also played by Chris Rock). He was separated from birth from Pope and his life took different path, because of which he makes his living as small time street hustler. Hayes nevertheless agrees to pose as Pope in order to finish deal and must go through crash course before going to Prague, where he would be assisted by experienced CIA agent Gaylord Oakes (played by Anthony Hopkins). This mission causes problems with Jake’s relationship with girlfriend Julie (played by Kerry Washington), further complicated by presence of his brother’s ex girlfriend and CNN reporter Nicole (played by Garcelle Beauvais). Even bigger problem is appearance of Serbian terrorists led by Dragan Ađanić (played by Matthew Marsh) who want to get the bomb and detonate it at Grand Central Station in New York City.
Despite notable names behind camera and 80 million US$ of budget, Bad Company earned its place in history mainly because of dubious honour of being the last film to be shot at New York City’s World Trade Center before 9/11. Those events affected the film, which had its distribution, originally scheduled for December 2001, postponed because of disturbing plot similarities with real life story which, unlike in the film, didn’t have happy end. These are the reasons why New Yorkers and Americans didn’t rushed to theatres and why * Bad Company* quickly sank into oblivion. But even without that historic context, this film was unlikely to be remembered as great success. The script by Jason Richman and Michael Browning is complete mess full of plot holes, cliches and jokes that aren’t actually funny. Joel Schumacher doesn’t help with his mostly uninspired direction. The worst is formulaic “buddy buddy” pairing of Chris Rock and Anthony Hopkins that fails because of lack of chemistry, with Rock being burdened with atrocious dialogue and playing the worst racial stereotypes. There is similar issue with ethnic stereotypes, directed at post-Cold War Eastern Europe and Balkans, with special emphasis on Serbs, due to their perception in 1990s wars, being portrayed as generic villains and who, despite being identified as such, never bother to speak Serbian in the film. The cast never amounts to much, with possible exception of Brooke Smith as CIA agent Swanson. At the end, both Bruckheimer and Schumacher could have comforted with the fact that most of the audience unfortunate enough to watch Bad Company simply forgot that the film existed.
RATING: 2/10 (-)
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