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Here's a look at the new movies I saw this week.

2 Guns
Starring: Denzel Washington, Mark Wahlberg, Paula Patton, James Marsden, Bill Paxon, and Edward James Olmos
Synopsis: Seeing Washington and Wahlberg headlining a film gives one a sense of hope. Hope that the film will rise above its description. Hope that it will offer great performances. Hope that it’s more than just a loose plot strung between action sequences. Anyone who had that false sense of hope about “2 Guns” was probably feeling good during the opening sequence. It was clever, allowed inter-play between its two star leads and offered a glimmer of hope. It turned out to be one of the best parts of the film, which devolved into everything you’d expect. Washington seems drawn to these types of films. It feels similar to “Safe House,” “Déjà vu” and “Out of Time,” all recent entries on Washington’s resume. Wahlberg has similarly been drawn to these sorts of action films as well. And while both do fine jobs in the lead roles, there is little to get excited about here. While “2 Guns” has a nice pedigree — starring Washington and Wahlberg and written by Blake Masters (“Brotherhood”) — it does little to rise above being a pedestrian action film. It’s inspired by a graphic novel, but there is still little about it that feels original. The plot — which features a number of twists and double crosses — is somewhat hard to follow and still feels like the light connecting points between action sequences. The film seems more interested in car chases, bravado and plenty of shooting. In fact, the unsatisfying third act is essentially one giant shoot out. It’s not original, it’s not clever and it feels forced. Director Baltasar Kormákur previously worked with Wahlberg on his film “Contraband.” This film feels like a bit of a step back, which is saying something since “Contraband” was OK at best. This, similarly, feels like an OK action film. There is nothing special about the story, the performances or the action pieces. It’s not memorable and likely won’t draw a lot of repeat viewers. Wahlberg and Washington are capable of great performances. Both have been in Academy Award nominated films and have turned in award-worthy or award-winning performances. But both seem to be going through the motions with this film. The idea of Wahlberg and Washington headlining a film is appealing, but as a final product “2 Guns” isn’t.
Rating: R for violence throughout, language and brief nudity. Enter with caution.
Verdict: Two stars out of four.

The Wolverine

Starring: Hugh Jackman, Famke Janssen, Tao Okamoto, and Rila Fukushima

Synopsis: I didn't like "X-Men Origins: Wolverine." It had potential. It had a decent cast. It just fizzled for me. So I wasn't too pumped for this latest Wolverine-centric film. It was a mild improvement over the first Wolverine outing, but it wasn't great. There are aspects of it that were mildly interesting, but the plot was a little complex. The best part of the film, honestly, was the teaser scene at the end for "X-Men: Days of Future Past." It gives me hope that will be an interesting and engrossing film. This one had moments that worked OK, but for the most part it was hard to care. I haven't kept up with the comic books in depth, and I know this was based on one of the better comic book story arcs, but the film just doesn't get there. The cinematography is strong and there are some good looking scenes. Jackman is perfectly fine in the role, too, but there's just not much around him. To me this was about as bland as a summer blockbuster based on a comic book franchise can get.

Rating: PG-13 for sequences of intense sci-fi action and violence, some sexuality and language.

Verdict: Two stars out of four.

Upcoming Releases:

Friday, August 9 — "Elysium," "Planes"

Friday, August 16 — "The Butler," "Paranoia," "Jobs," "Kick-Ass 2"

Friday, August 23 — "The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones," "The World's End," "You're Next," "Grandmaster"

Wednesday, August 28 — "Closed Circuit"

Friday, August 30 — "Getaway," "One Direction: This Is Us," "Random"