Mark Wahlberg and Peter Berg have built a franchise around the idea of a lone operative doing the impossible. Mile 22, the fourth film pairing the two, is the one that finally breaks the spell. It’s a thrill-deficient action thriller that spends 94 minutes trying to convince you it’s dangerous when it’s really just loud.
Trailer, via STXfilms.
The Setup
James Silva, played by Wahlberg, leads Overwatch, a top-secret CIA unit. Their mission: get a rogue Indocarr police officer named Li Noor 22 miles to an extraction point, while being hunted by the government. That’s the whole plan. The film never bothers to make it feel urgent.
What Goes Wrong
The plot stalls at almost every checkpoint. Noor won’t talk until he’s on a plane. Axel, the lead hunter, shows up at the embassy and fights Noor while his men plant a bomb on the car. Sam Snow is mortally injured in the chaos. Bishop’s surveillance feed blacks out during the attack. None of this builds tension. It just repeats.
The Cast
Wahlberg carries the film as Silva, the field leader of Overwatch. Lauren Cohan plays Alice Kerr, his wounded partner. Iko Uwais plays Li Noor, the ex-Special Forces officer who wants out. John Malkovich plays Bishop, the supervisor of Overwatch. Ronda Rousey plays Sam Snow, a member of the unit who gets mortally injured.
Where It Falls Short
- The pacing is slow in stretches, especially during Kerr’s scenes with her family.
- The stakes are never made clear. Why 22 miles? Why now?
- The villains, led by Axel, are barely sketched.
- The action sequences are noisy but not thrilling.
Comparing Mile 22 to Its Predecessors
| Film | Director | Setting | Reception |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mile 22 | Peter Berg | Asian city streets | Mostly negative |
| Lone Survivor | Peter Berg | Middle East | Mixed |
| Deepwater Horizon | Peter Berg | Gulf of Mexico | Positive |
| Patriots Day | Peter Berg | Boston | Positive |
Mile 22 is the outlier in this lineup. The other three films grounded their action in real places with real stakes. This one feels like a video game without a map.
The Verdict
Mile 22 isn’t a disaster. It’s a film that forgot why its premise mattered. The cast is competent, the stunts are big, and the tagline promises more than the film delivers. It’s a disappointment from a director who has delivered real tension before.
Mile 22 is available to watch now.
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