Welcome to the Punch (2013) - Eran Creevy

Max Lewinsky is a disillusioned man whose been in the system far too long.  His will to actually create change and fight for his convictions has been completely depleted by countless years as a police officer in a corrupt system.  That all changes when Ruan Sternwood is shot and killed at the local airport.  Ruan is the son of former career criminal, Jacob, a man who Max has never been able to bring down.  Out to find and presumably kill the men responsible for his son's death, Jacob leaves his Icelandic hideaway and returns to London.  This of course gives Max one last chance to catch the man he has always been after, but as the face off begins, they uncover a far deeper conspiracy which forces them to work together.  Eran Creevy's Welcome to the Punch is a derivative action movie that does enough from a visual standpoint to make it entertaining.  The film seems to think it is far more intelligent and complex than it actually is, only scratching the surface when it comes to character development and themes.  For example, Max Lewinsky's character is very intriguing but the film never does an adequate job at fully developing his inner demons.  This lack of proper development across the board is disappointing especially when you factor in the extremely talented cast of James McAvoy, Mark Strong, Andrea Riseboro, and Peter Mullan, among others.  While the characters are thin and the narrative is generic, the direction is probably the strongest aspect of the film.  Eran Creevy creates a cinematic experience consisting of some inventive compositions and camerawork which is the one aspect of Welcome to the Punch that feels unique.  Welcome to the Punch is certainly a generic film of the genre but it isn't a bad film, just an unnecessary one. 
6/10

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