“A Man Apart” (New Line Cinema)
Vin Diesel has had a quick ride to fame. He was noticed in “Saving Private Ryan,” gained popularity in “The Fast and the Furious,” and came off as an action star in “XXX.” But when it falls on him to carry a movie, and especially one that requires some acting skills, well Vin is not up to the task. His new movie “A Man Apart” makes those requirements, and when Vin doesn’t deliver the movie falls apart.
In “A Man Apart” Vin plays Sean Vetter an undercover drug agent. He and his partner Demetrius (Larenz Tate) score big points with their bosses when they arrest Mexican drug lord, Meno Lucero (Geno Silva). But after that high point everything goes down hill.
Vin loves his work but he loves his wife Stacy (Jacqueline Obradors) more. He and she live in a house on the beach and have plans for a comfortable life. Then tragedy strikes and Sean sees his dreams go up in smoke. He becomes a man determined to seek vengeance from those he thinks have ruined his life.
The movie is full of violence but there is no cohesive plot to hang the story and the action on. Even when the movie ends you are left wondering who did what to whom, and how did Sean get his vengeance. At least that is the quandary of those who care anything about the movie. A large segment of the audience will just dismiss it as junk.
Diesel meets the physical requirements of the role; he just can’t hit the emotional notes. He doesn’t have charisma or star power and time will prove me right on this. Unless he takes acting lessons or takes roles with super strong supporting casts, he is going to be an actor apart – and on the outside looking in.
Of course it would have helped if he had had a better, more understandable script. He didn’t. The combination of Diesel’s acting weaknesses and the weaknesses in the storyline are an unbeatable recipe for disaster.
The film is rated R for profanity, violence and nudity.
With some movies action is enough. With others a strong lead performance can smooth over the rough spots. But in “A Man Apart” there is nothing to keep an audience’s interest. Most are lost after the first fifteen minutes.
Keep yourself “apart” from “A Man Apart.” Close contact can lead to horrendous boredom and mass confusion.
I scored “A Man Apart” a separated 3 out of 10.
©2003 Jackie K. Cooper
