Anthony Ray Parker, Drew Powell, Jeff Chase

John Triton is a heroic Marine who returns home after being discharged --against his will--from the war in Iraq. Stateside, he finds himself back in action, when his wife is kidnapped by a murderous ...( read more  read more... )gang led by the merciless Rome. With everything on the line, the Marine will stop at nothing to carry out his toughest and most important mission.

Flixster Users

70% liked it

66,794 ratings

Critics

21% liked it

42 critics

PG-13, 1 hr. 33 min.

Directed by: John Bonito

Release Date: October 13, 2006

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DVD Release Date: January 30, 2007

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Flixster Reviews (14,985)


  • September 25, 2009
    Why the hell did I watch this film, why? Its sooooo bad you have to see it to believe it. Robert Patrick what are you doing? I think this is the worst film ever made! I didn?t realise it was a WWF production. Doh!
  • April 30, 2009
    Well.... What more could I expect from the WWE. Cena actually isn't too bad, but overall the acting is horrible and the action scenes become monotonous after the first couple.
  • April 28, 2009
    "This guy is like the Terminator!"


    Action movies are generally split into two categories - smart actioners, and dumb guilty pleasures. Overblown and ridiculous in every conceivable way, The Marine fails to meet the criteria for either category. This second mov

    ...( read more)ie offering of WWE Films (See No Evil, starring Kane, was the first) is so indescribably awful, inept and downright stupid it may actually cause brain damage. Far too mindless to be considered a smart actioner and not fun enough to be considered a guilty pleasure, The Marine is one of this decade's worst action movies. In interviews, WWE superstar John Cena has compared this cinematic abortion to 1985's Commando (featuring Arnold Schwarzenegger). Sure, both pictures are stunt spectacles in which everything blows up, but Commando is at least mildly respectable...The Marine, on the other hand, is poorly made, detrimentally unoriginal and appallingly acted, not to mention the sheer level of stupidity also prevents the film from fulfilling its primary objective of entertaining. It clearly strives to be a serious 80s-style action/adventure with humorous undertones, but instead the entire flick is unintentionally hilarious. This utter garbage could've been so bad that it's good. Instead, Cena's film debut is so bad it's just really, really bad.


    In a standard action movie opening sequence, Sgt. John Triton (Cena) - a US Marine - disobeys a direct order and rescues some captured comrades. His superiors aren't fond of his gung-ho style, however, and he's honourably discharged before being shipped back to the US. It's a tough break for John who immediately accepts a job as a security guard. But more over-eagerness on John's part results in his sacking (on his first day of work). Following this second tough break, John decides to embark on a romantic getaway with wife Kate (Carlson).

    Meanwhile, the ruthless Rome (Patrick) and his gang of thieves implement a diamond heist in the most conspicuous way possible - people are shot (including two police officers), a cop car is blown up (exploding in a 20-foot ball of flame), and the gang wield massive weapons on the street in broad daylight. Since tough-guy ex-marine John Triton needs someone to kill, the script throws these diamond thieves in his direction. John's wife ends up being taken as a hostage by these criminals (for absolutely no discernable reason). John wants his wife back, so he pursues these diamond thieves through a crocodile-free (but alligator-infested) South Carolinian swamp.


    What ensues is a totally unbelievable action romp. Lots of bullets fly (the bad guys are unable to aim a gun properly, of course), everything in sight explodes, and the good guy kills the bad guy. Whoops, was the ending just spoiled for you? Or did you realise (through common knowledge) that the good guy was going to win?

    The whole movie is laden with winks (Robert Patrick starred in Terminator 2 and John Triton is compared to the Terminator), tossed in a smorgasbord of a screenplay that gives one of Rome's henchmen a fear of rock candy and a moment where (in mid-threat) Rome answers a phone call to discuss his cable TV options. Couple that malarkey with the fact that Triton survives multiple big explosions (including three building explosions) and an impossibly lenient detective with sketchy motives. Everything in The Marine is pumped up to deafening proportions, from Cena's physique to sports cars for South Carolina state troopers. Continuity errors abound and impossibilities flourish throughout this tedious star vehicle.


    The Marine is also infused with a sickening (almost insulting) level of American patriotism. Cena is introduced wearing Marine garb during the opening credits sequence, and he's standing in front of an American flag! Cena looks like a total moron, and these few seconds are enough to elicit derisive chortles. After this despicable sequence, Cena's John Triton proceeds to save US soldiers who have been captured in Afghanistan. Triton is a perfect marksman of course, and those he's battling appear to opt for hand-to-hand combat instead of just shooting the trouble-maker. Cue vomit-inducing, cheesy patriotic music. Oh yeah, and a Russian helicopter arrives to extract the soldiers from the battlefield. After this military propaganda video (that's also very disrespectful to the whole Iraq/Afghanistan situation), the movie gets right down to business...exploring John Cena's two facial expressions.


    Modern action movies are normally overwhelmed by unconvincing CGI. Therefore, in theory, an actioner containing traditional stunt work and old-fashioned pyrotechnics should be refreshing and exciting. But it isn't - CGI is eschewed, but the approach is marred due to the fact that realism is thrown to the wind very early into the movie. During the film's main car chase, for example, roughly 300 bullets are fired into a sports car, none of which manage to hit John Triton who's behind the wheel. Tyres are visibly shot, but are perfectly re-inflated in subsequent shots. As the car chase ends, this car flies off a cliff and explodes...and John survives by leaping out of the flaming wreckage to safety. How do the thieves not notice John jumping out of the car when he's in plain sight?!


    WWE director John Bonito tries very hard to pump up the excitement factor with this movie...but he fails. The Marine is more or less an extended trailer...90 minutes of fireballs, failed one-liners and fight sequences which are both poorly choreographed and incompetently shot. Dallas Puett's editing is frenetic, jumpy and downright terrible. Another of the production's biggest blunders is trying to pass off Australian locations as South Carolina. Big fail. There are also countless errors in military attire and hand-to-hand techniques, not to mention the politics behind John Triton's discharge is nonsense. Writing and filmmaking can't get much worse than this.


    John Cena is a complete dud. In The Marine he's just an unstoppable, invincible action hero; more or less a cyborg impervious to injury. After he miraculously manages to survive a few explosions and hundreds of bullets, the film can no longer be taken seriously. The main problem with Cena's acting goes far beyond his easily spotted first film jitters. He's a mountainous man, but he looks more like a construction worker than a US Marine. Cena is also cursed with the vocal authority of pubescent 16-year-old. This guy has no business trying to pass himself off as a one-man army similar to Arnold Schwarzenegger or Sylvester Stallone. At least Schwarzenegger was a hard-ass of the highest order, complete with an intimidating voice. Mired by a PG-13 rating that dampens the mood by placing all the violent money shots off camera, Cena comes across as a bland action figure who's ready to feature in any movie the WWE sends down the pipe for him, but who lacks a zesty charisma that could make him a genre icon. Beside him, Kelly Carlson is very forgettable as his kidnapped wife.

    At least Robert Patrick brings a little bit of class and star power to the project. He's easy to watch as the goofy, sarcastic leader of a wacky crew of lunatic diamond thieves. Unfortunately, every other member of the cast is unbelievably awful, including a comical black man with a girly voice and a fear of rock candy.


    It should come as no surprise that The Marine is a bad movie. If you had high expectations for this second WWE Films production, you're either a deluded wrestling fan or you just haven't been paying attention. If you've decided to give this dirge a shot, one should be completely aware of what they're walking into. Those who defend this awful movie state that the bad acting and weak plot can be overlooked because there's a lot of action to enjoy. I tried to enjoy the action...I really tried. But this dredge failed to entertain me.

  • March 28, 2009
    it was good except i'm not really a big john cena fan. still better than the rock when it comes to filmage. the action sequences were good apart from the obvious no contest fights.... yet cena was still getting the fuck beat out of him by some skinny rakes... yes, odd, but overal...( read more)l... decent action feature
  • September 14, 2008
    Not too bad, pretty decent movie.
  • October 29, 2009
    Attention all John Cena fans, come and see the Champ in the film....
  • October 23, 2009
    hes hot and a lot better at acting in movies than at wrestling
  • September 20, 2009
    This movie is one of my favorites
  • September 14, 2009
    Although the action is awesome and visually stunning, I felt like watching ANOTHER typical and terrible action films from the 80's (like those countless pieces of crap released by Stallone, Schwarzenegger, Seagal, Van Damme and other morons). Avoid if you're looking for a good ac...( read more)tion film, unless you want to turn off your brain for a while.

    31/100
  • September 11, 2009
    im not gona lie i like it only for john cena

Critic Reviews


Comments


  • llamaspit3838
    September 12, 2009
    think the only people who enjoyed this is fat women or ugly women lmao.
  • johnpaullucky7
    December 21, 2008
    juggalohomie427 i know your comment is old but you saying Randy Orton worst wrestler of all time is pathetic. Randy Orton is one of the best his matches against Triple H, Chris Benoit, Edge, Undertaker, Kurt Angle have all been great. While Cena's matches are unforgettable and the same old garbage we get from Cena each and every week. As for this movie I own it and it's awful I respect Cena for what he does though he will do anything for wrestling and he does seem like a nice person. Just saying my opinion because I have a right like everybody else has.
  • juggalohomie427
    July 14, 2008
    shut up you stupid randy orton fan oh yeah you wanna talk about bad wreslting there you go randy orton is the worst wreslter of all time
  • NativeBurdy
    May 7, 2008
    He's acting is bad as he's wrestling.
    Same ol shit
  • pavacri23
    February 23, 2008
    is not bad can be better than yout think
  • luckyferepublica
    February 9, 2008
    nice
  • ireland2k1
    January 27, 2008
    IM A BIG JOHN FAN AND I LOVE THE FILM SO MUCH,JOHN IS SOO HOT HES MY LIFE...
  • raechello
    January 8, 2008
    I think this movie was a great action movie. Some comdey bits, alot of running.
    I liked it!. John never stopped till he found his wife - kind of sweet.

    GREAT FILM!. I loved it and I'm not even a big John Cena fan.
  • robvicary
    December 16, 2007
    This movie could only appeal to the moronic popcorn-munching drones that make up most of the viewing population. It's basic premise is so simple that a four-year old could figure it out in no time. Poor Robert Patrick - ever since "Terminator 2" he's been trying (unsuccessfully) to prove that he is not just a 'B'-movie actor. In this one, he tries to emulate Dennis Hopper and Christopher Walken by playing the scenery chewing badass. Unfortunately, he just doesn't have the charisma to pull it off.
  • mahbabeluvin42
    September 11, 2007
    MEAN MOVIE!! HEZ THE MAN!!

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