Generic! Muzzle (2023) || Movie Review.

Watching an action-thriller movie makes one's blood pump with high energy with the expectation and promise of thrilling and heart gripping scenes. Now, seeing the trailer and the poster of this movie, I got high energy and high expectations for the movie but I was disappointed. Maybe because I went to watch this movie with high expectations or I don't know what action-thriller movies entails anymore.

Why I got so pumped to watch this movie was because I saw Aaron Eckhart and Stephen Lang. I was excited about the movie just seeing both of them there but I only got to see more of Aaron Eckhart instead and Stephen Lang was in the shadows. In my opinion, it was a waste of the actors' talents.

'Muzzle (2023)' is an action, thriller and crime film that was distributed by RLJE Films. It was directed by John Stalberg Jr. and written by Carlyle Eubank. The storyline revolves around a LAPD K-9 officer Jake Rosser who was involved in a street pursuit but his K-9 partner got shot in the process. Later he investigates the shooter's identity but simultaneously uncovers a deep drug conspiracy in the city. It starred Aaron Eckhart, Stephen Lang, Penelope Mitchell, Nick Searcy, Delissa Reynolds, and Diego Tinoco.

The opening scene begins with officer Jake Rosser making conversations with his K-9 partner. As he was enjoying his talk with his partner, he responded to a radio call and went to a supposed crime where a car filled with cocaine was abandoned by the driver. So Jack brought his partner to the scene to see if he could track down the runaway driver, but on the other hand, one of the police officers on site picked up one of the drugs in the car and there was a blast.

Panicking, Jack quickly brought his K-9 partner that was shot to the paramedics for treatment but no attention was given to his K-9 partner and died on the spot. Frustrated and angry, Jack assaults one of the paramedics. For that scene, Jack was suspended without pay and attached to a therapist for recovery from his traumatic experience.

As Jack begins his journey of recovery, he gets romantically comfortable with his next door neighbor, adopting a dog that has a broken past to be his new K-9 partner. Juggling these new aspects of his life together, Jack began to search for who shot his former K-9 partner with the help of a detective colleague at work. As he goes on this journey, he is drawn into the broken past of his new K-9 partner and discovers a deep drug conspiracy business in the city by the Asians. Will he get what he is looking for?

My Review And Rating.

Like I said earlier, this movie didn't meet my high expectations but it was still a decent watch for me. I watched and stayed till the end because of Aaron and Stephen. These two actors always get my attention in any movie they appear in. I like them a lot because their performances always find a way to steal the spotlight in any movie.

What I like about this movie is that it captures the dirty side of what happens in America nowadays, especially in the aspect where the streets of America are filled with homeless people and surrounded by garbage and the worst case scenarios you can think of. Also, I like that the storyline was set in Los Angeles. A city of Angels once now turned to a dangerous place where evil things happen.

The director did an average job in the scene arrangements because some of the scenes were so cringe that I winced while watching. One thing the director did right was the color palette of the film which captured the filthy situation of LA perfectly. Also, there is one suspenseful scene with a good camera angle, but the rest of the scenes were awfully captured which lacked good lighting and camera stability. The ending was satisfying and sad at the same time, but the win was higher than the loss, in my opinion.

What I didn't like about this movie is that it was not a fast paced movie like it should have been, it was very slow until almost to the tail end before the story picked up pace. At that time, I was bored, tired and I wanted to get up and do something else. At first I thought the movie was 2 hrs but it was just an hour and a half, but it felt like I grew old on my couch waiting for the movie to come to an end. The script and dialogues were not engaging enough because it was predictable and generic. There was nothing unique about it.

Also, the romantic aspect added to the story of this movie was uncalled for and unnecessary. I didn't feel it, it looked forced but the two characters involved. It was also seemed weird for me seeing Aaron kiss and fondle Penelope Mitchell like that!. It was not right, it didn't feel right. Also, the villain was badly portrayed and she looked like a cartoon to me, I don't know where she came from.

Also, if you are a dog or an animal lover, this movie might trigger you. Rating this movie, I will give it 5 out of 10 stars. I wouldn't recommend you watch it due to tons of profanity and bloody scenes. Also, I wouldn't recommend this monstrosity to action - thriller lovers / fans.