Released: 15th January 2021 (Netflix)
Length: 115 Minutes
Certificate: 15
Starring: Anthony Mackie, Damson Idris, Emily Beecham, Michael Kelly and Pilou Asbæk
Middle-market titles can have a tricky time making an impression, though thanks to the efforts of streaming platforms, they are now able to reach wider audiences. Blending science fiction with a more grounded militaristic setting, Outside The Wire has its moments, but stands out as highly unremarkable.
In the year 2036 a violent conflict has broken out in the Balkans; stoked by the ruthless warlord Victor Koval (Pilou Asbæk), America finds itself managing a complicated battlefield. Enter drone operator Thomas Harp (Damson Idris). After his air strike kills two US servicemen, Thomas is reassigned to a new breed of soldier. His new superior Captain Leo (Anthony Mackie) is a sentient android, capable of learning autonomously and conducting peacekeeping operations in the combat zone. The two set out to execute their mission, but Leo appears to be forming motives of his own.
Proceeding at a reasonable pace, Outside The Wire had the potential to convey a complicated future war, but the end result is less than impressive. Any sense of ambiguity takes a back seat to the action and eventually builds towards preventing a nuclear holocaust. Even the aforementioned warlord becomes insignificant as the film settles into very standard military fare. Another major issue is that much of the futuristic tech seen in the film (which is also laid out in the opening text) doesn’t contribute much to the greater narrative. We’re told about the use of “Gumps”, robotic soldiers with a tendency to badly pre-empt engagements; but outside of the action sequences they have little to do with the plot. As a result, much of the film’s wider setting feels more like window dressing.
Characterisation is a very mixed bag in Outside The Wire. While Mackie and Idris give their best, the biggest problem with OTW’s script is that it rarely dives beneath the surface to get at their shifting dynamic. While Harp is forced to experience the results of his disconnected perspective, it’s put aside quickly for the rather hollow goal of preventing the apocalypse. On the other hand, we learn very little about Captain Leo; outside of his mechanical innards, there’s little in the way of detail. One moment he appears to act more human and the next he’s functioning entirely on logic; the sense of unpredictability doesn’t land with the right impact. Most of the side characters are lacklustre, only appearing to comment on current events; the film needed to draw out the contrasts between the conflict’s opposing factions. For example, resistance member Sofia (Emily Beecham) and Colonel Eckhart (Mike Kelly) have different approaches to the war that are never properly implemented.
The film does at least look the part. Outside The Wire’s brand of future war is easily its greatest strength on screen. Despite their insignificance to the story, the GUMPS have some solid animation and blend very well with the live-action elements; there’s a sinister precision to them upon entering combat mode. When the intensity does kick in, it’s all very well shot and edited and the contrast between Thomas’s inexperience in ground combat and Leo’s efficient takedowns is well established. The soundtrack by Lorne Balfe does its job well enough, heightening the bloody carnage throughout the film, but it won’t be standing up to other, more thunderous pieces.
While it may be a competently made and acted action romp, Outside The Wire is unable to take its setting and ideas any further than unmemorable sci-fi narratives. It feels very by-the-book throughout with little effort put into the finer details. Some mild entertainment is offered, but little more.
Rating: 2.5/5 Stars (Mediocre)
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