Wild Card (2015) | Film Review

(First viewing via VOD) - Wild Card is a by-the-numbers action flick starring Jason Statham as Nick Wild. Wild is a man with an extensive history of world traveling, actioneering, and apparent escapades that have made him somewhat famous. So how does a man like this end up stuck in a place like Las Vegas? He’s a degenerate gambler.

Wild Card has a paper thin plot. The majority of the film features Statham acting as a sort of Mr. Fix-It in and around Vegas. He’s the sort of guy you hire if you need to impress your lady, of if you’re looking for some extra security for a night on the town. He’s also well-respected by all, including the local mob. He stays out of their way, they stay out of his.

This film works mostly as various scenes featuring disconnected characters all tied together through Statham. And while this film doesn’t have much to offer story wise, it does a pretty decent job establishing the crusty underneath world of Sin City. It also serves up enough action scenes to keep its target audience satisfied.

This is the sort of film Statham can do in his sleep, which might not be saying much, because his general demeanor in most films is somewhat sleepy, until it’s time to punch and kick the bad guys. The rest of the cast does a good job playing off his stoic persona, especially Milo Ventimiglia as the sadistic Danny DeMarco. Their initial subplot eventually takes over the third act of the film, and Milo is so good in his role, his eventual face-to-face near the end of the film is pretty satisfying.

The other quasi-main player here is Michael Angarano as Cyrus Kinnick, a young man looking to hire Wild as a bodyguard for a few nights of gambling. He’s a quirky little fellow who eventually reveals he wants to learn how to handle himself like Wild. They have an interestingly enjoyable chemistry.

The rest of Wild Card is stuffed to the brim with cameos including: Jason Alexander, Anne Heche, Max Casella, Hope Davis, Sofia Vergara, and Stanley Tucci. They’re all in the film for a scene or two, and serve little more than for viewers to go, “Hey, look who it is!”

As a typical Statham action film goes, this fits in nicely with his other films like Parker, The Mechanic, Wrath of Man, Homefront, and so many others. It’s by no means a standout, but if you’re a fan of Statham’s brand of action, you’re in for a good time.