Bullet Points: Take Back
Take Back is being released in the UK on DVD and digital from 101 Films on March 29th. I have the hookup, so I received an advance copy of the DVD to let you know if Take Back is worth your time and hard-earned money.
- Setting it up: Human trafficking is one of the worst possible crimes imaginable. My heart breaks for all who are impacted. Over the last few years, we have seen a steady increase with action movies using this all-to-real plotline. Rambo: Last Blood comes to mind as a prime example. Take Back uses human trafficking as part of its story. Zara (Gillian White) seems to be living the perfect life with her husband, Brian (Michael Jai White). One day, she beats the ever-living-hell out of an abusive asshole at a local coffee shop. This heroic action goes viral, and Zara suddenly finds herself having to deal with a ghost from her past. Take Back stars real-life married couple Gillian and Michael Jai White, Mickey Rourke, James Russo and Chris Browning. It is directed by Christian Sesma. We are familiar with Sesma here at Bulletproof Action because we have covered two of his previous movies, Paydirt and The Night Crew. Take Back is written by first-time screenwriter, Zach Zerries.
- Taking a back seat: I am excited Gillian White is the lead in Take Back. You might remember her from her small but memorable role in Welcome to Sudden Death, a film which starred Michael Jai White as the main character. This time, we are flipping the roles. Gillian will get most of the action, and Michael will be ready on standby for backup. Michael Jai White’s Brian is a mild-mannered easy-going type of guy. He does not come off as ruthless, but he does teach high school and karate lessons. Gillian White’s Zara looks like she could kick all our asses in a manner of seconds. It looks like she was born to fight. At first, you might wonder why her character is such a badass. If you keep watching, you will learn all the answers. I am a fan of believable action heroes, and I believe in Gillian White. I am convinced Take Back will be her breakout action role. Bulletproof Action predicted Ellen Hollman from Army of One would be a breakout female action star of 2021. We are now adding Gillian White to our list of badass women to watchout for in 2021 and beyond.
- Mickey Rourke plays with his puppy dogs: Every movie needs a heel and Take Back’s baddie is Mickey Rourke’s Patrick. For most of the film, you only see Mickey sitting on his bed and playing with his puppy dogs. I have a feeling these dogs live with Mickey. I also believe I saw a picture of one of his dogs he lost a few years back. With the Patrick role, there is zero sympathy. Patrick is the scum of the earth. Mickey had a memorable role earlier in the year as the main baddie in Adverse. In Adverse he had a few redeeming characteristics. Not this time. Mickey Rourke’s Patrick has a creep vibe that will haunt my dreams for a long time to come. I doubt this is the last we see Mickey as a villain this year. It would be interesting to see if he could pull off a hero role. He now has a face made for bad guy roles, but I would love to see him try to be a good guy once again. Maybe, it could be an action movie about a dog lover turned vigilante. Oops, that sounds too much like John Wick. Who knows, I have learned to expect the unexpected with movies and everything else in life.
- A cool supporting cast: Take Back does not have a large cast. It also looks like it did not have the biggest budget. However, it does have a couple of excellent supporting characters. I enjoyed the hell out of James Russo’s Detective Chalmers. He is an old-school cop. A fella who has probably seen everything and then some. He comes off as someone I would love to have a beer with. Russo does a lot with a role that could have easily been cookie-cutter unforgettable. Chris Browning’s Jerry Walker is another great addition to the cast. For some time, I kept wondering why Jerry was even in the film. The character did not make a lot of sense to the plot. However, I was incredibly pleased when I realized why he is in the film. Both actors make the film more enjoyable. In my opinion, that is what matters the most.
- Closing it all out: Have you ever seen someone get killed with a pizza cutter? If you want to see action carnage such as pizza cutter death, then Take Back might be the movie for you. It has enough action to keep you entertained. It never is boring, and it is extremely exciting to watch. The human trafficking scenes were tough to view, but they are supposed to be. You never want to see a movie trying to glorify that type of inhumane violence towards those who are the most vulnerable. Take Back gives us a hero we can all cheer for and an ending that is fitting for the plot. If you get the chance to check out Take Back, do not hesitate to give it a watch. Take Back should be a movie you can watch many times, so I also recommend you buy it for your collection the first chance you get.
- Grade: B+
