Ticketworthy - The Mongoose

Action movies should be a lay-up in terms of cinema. Many people watch movies as a means of escaping the need to perceive media critically, meaning a story with high-stakes and intense action is simple enough that nearly anyone can become interested in it. At this point, there is an understanding that generic action films need not rely on Academy-Award level acting performances, instead prioritizing the intensity integral to combat and thrilling sequences. In the case of The Mongoose, the action is still present, but is approached through primarily car-chases.

The story follows Ryan Flanagan (Liam Neeson), commonly referred to as “Fang” attempting to escape law enforcement in an interstate journey after being somewhat falsely accused of murder. Fang, being a decorated war hero, quickly becomes the focal point of the anti-establishment movement as the film showcases his time in Afghanistan, his complicated relationship with is ex-wife Tara (Marisa Tomei), and the unhinged attempts of his capture led by Major Walter Pope (Michael Chiklis). All the while, his brothers-in-arms Tanker (Ving Rhames) and Munch (Marcus Thomas) aid his evasion from the police. The chase is the central focus, displaying his relationships and the causation of the conflict through continuous flashbacks. Despite the barebones nature of the plot, The Mongoose attempts to convey complexity in its messaging and characters in the most slothful manner possible.

To some, the main action shown through dramatic moments of vehicle theft and close-call encounters with the U.S. military and many highway patrol units is acceptable for fans of this genre. However, even the attempts at these moments feel overwhelming and confusing with the random camera-cuts throughout the chase, as well as the almost untouchable nature of Fang and his stolen car. There are countless encounters involving law enforcement and Fang that should be impossible for him to evade, meaning his impromptu getaways make the antagonists seem incredibly foolish. Throughout the story, I could not help but continuously believe I was about to witness the conclusion, just for it to painstakingly continue as it became increasingly unrealistic. This is not to say that the police should be masterminds, but that Fang, being played by a seventy-four-year-old man is most likely incapable of these feats. Overall, the action, whether shown through flashbacks or motor-skills can only be described as lackluster, and at some times, literally sickening through dizzying cinematography.

As for the other aspects, the dialogue is awful. Much of the dialogue is between Fang and his stolen-car’s virtual assistant Helene (voiced by Stella Stocker), which can only be summed up as exactly what can be imagined from a somewhat charismatic elderly man and his futuristic intelligent computer conversating. The dialogue between any characters feels much like an improv-Grand Theft Auto V roleplaying server, without the enjoyment of a video game. In particular, the way Fang communicates with the primary news outlet covering his story, CNN, is so cringeworthy it hurts. Fang talks as if he is the most charming “bad-boy” ever to grace Earth. It is completely unsuccessful though, considering that Fang is not a serial-offender, but especially considering that he is actively being framed for a murder he technically did not commit! It is laughably bad in every attempt to make Fang seem cool in any way, as it redirects your attention away from the action to the nearest exit to escape this level of abysmal writing and acting.

Also, I cannot review this atrocity without covering its bizarre attempts at political and societal messaging. In The Mongoose, through flashbacks, Fang is shown to be a decorated war hero, meaning the discussion of his crimes change from simply being on the run for murder, to the possible effects of PTSD. As the news story progresses, increased information about his military past is revealed to the public, leading to people actively protesting in support of his emancipation. This is not unusual, as people being anti-establishment is commonplace in America, especially regarding veterans. This leads to many people rallying behind Fang’s military service in support of him, with a multitude of dialogue and moments throughout showcasing a pro-military and pro-veteran messaging. Somehow, the story also shows a strangely critical perception of law enforcement, making many of them seem comically blood thirsty. It left me scratching my head, utterly confused on how this is seemingly anti-establishment and against “the system” while also maintaining a blatant support of the establishment. Overall, the messaging is not only confusing, but lacks any sort of intelligence that is necessary when choosing to tackle relevant political issues.

In conclusion, The Mongoose is boring, unintelligent, and annoying. It is so baffling that my review in writing cannot do justice to the atrocity that is this film. Despite my beliefs, it may be worthwhile to those looking for simplistic illogical action. Although some may be pleased by its unrealistic action, The Mongoose contains such revolting cinematography, plots, dialogue, acting, and characters that nothing can save this cinematic calamity from the scrutiny it deserves.