Though he usually excels in kid's movies as the "fish out of water" comedic character, former professional wrestler Dwayne Johnson has occasionally ventured into the intense action game with films such as Faster, The Rundown, and Walking Tall. The latter group hasn't fared too well, and sadly Rid Roman Waugh's Snitch looks to follow suit.
Based on true events and diving head first into the politics behind the mandatory minimum prison sentencing, Snitch is a film that attempts to be too much while taking itself far too seriously. Dwayne Johnson stars as the father of a teenage son who is wrongly accused of drug distribution and is facing a 10 year sentence. Desperate to help him, Johnson's John Matthews strikes a deal with the US attorney to work undercover and infiltrate one of the country's most dangerous drug cartels.
Though basic in nature, Snitch proves to be a bit more complicated than necessary. The story contains several moving parts, and while each brings about a certain degree of uncertainty, none add to the overall effectiveness of the film. The pacing appeared immensely slow as the picture dragged form scene to scene, spending far too long to set up the sting operation that, in itself, doesn't offer much of an adrenaline rush.
Susan Sarandon offers up a solid complement to Johnson, forgoing her typical feminine demeanor, instead opting to approach the US attorney with force and determination as she works with a father to rid the streets of one of the country's most active drug dealers. But it is her roughness that ultimately provides a metaphor to the entire film as it struggles to find its voice, coming off as a rough, tough, no-holds-barred film that is consistently restrained by its adolescent-friendly PG-13 rating.
Snitch also falters during its heavy middle section as facts appear to roll further and further towards the side of disbelief. Nearly every obstacle is whisked away with little to no worry and dialogue exchanges are laughable as they are plagued with clichéd and forced text. Throw in a climatic chase sequences that pops and fizzles long before any emotion is felt and the film proves to be nothing more than a good idea that fails to translate off the page.
