Bullet Points: Fifty/Fifty

I usually don’t like to think about math when I watch action movies, but I recently watched an action movie that can best be described with a mathematical equation. 50% action plus 50% comedy equals 100% Cannon Films. Fifty/Fifty is a fun Cannon action movie with two very likable leads in Peter Weller and Robert Hays. Let’s take a look.

• Mercy Me – Fifty/Fifty opens with mercenary Sam French (Hays, Raw Justice) leading a beach assault in the Southeast Asian country of Tengara only to be repelled by a force led by mercenary Jake Wyer (Weller, RoboCop). Wyer is working for the dictator of Tengara, Bosavi. Great way to start and we even see Wyer use a bazooka against sharks, but I thought Weller and Hays were supposed to team up? 
• Team Up – With French captured, we quickly find out that French and Wyer go way back and now work independently as mercenaries. They both do what they do for the money while they can agree on the money, that is about it. The pair love to bicker but now that they teamed up again they hatch a plan to fleece Bosavi. Things go south fast and I am all for a government building escape and you better believe Ted Striker can fly the getaway airplane.

• Company Business – If you think that two mercenaries with expert knowledge in Southeast Asia dictators are just the kind of people the CIA would be interested in, you would be correct. Enter Martin Sprue (Charles Martin Smith who also directed Fifty/Fifty) as he basically tells French and Wyer that they need to go get former President Akhantar and overthrow Bosavi or they will go to prison. This choice didn’t require the fifty/fifty coin flip (aha!) the pair uses to make decisions.
• Welcome to the Jungle – French and Wyer parachute into the jungle to find Akhantar and his rebels and we are treated to classic jungle trekking and bickering. Turns out the rebels are a motley bunch and their introduction to French and Wyer is comedy gold. You better believe there is a training montage to teach these rebels how to fight and not only do they get better but French and Wyer start to care for the rebels. Having Akhantar’s niece Suleta being an attractive interest for French and Wyer helps. Of course she is too smart for our heroes’ antics… or is she.

• Third Act Conflict – With everything going smoothly, there has to be a  problem for French and Wyer to overcome. Fifty/Fifty goes all out, and without spoiling too much you can thank the U.S. government (classic). I will let you know that it is kind of worth it because I will always be happy to see exploding helicopters, especially when one is exploded by a kamikaze bus. See you later, Suleta!

Fifty/Fifty leaves French and Wyer with a serious dilemma for the finale. Will they take the money and run or will they help the remaining rebels? Will Sprue get a redemption arc? Fifty/Fifty answers both questions with an explosive action packed ending. When you add it all up Fifty/Fifty is 100% a movie I enjoyed watching but in case you need me to show my work I have some Fifty/Fifty Bonus Bullet Points.

• Classic Cannon – Fifty/Fifty actually started with Paramount and was supposed to star Sylvester Stallone and either Eddie Murphy or Kurt Russell. When Stallone and Russell chose to make Tango and Cash, Cannon snatched Fifty/Fifty and immediately made it a Chuck Norris vehicle. When he opted out, Peter Weller finally took his place.
• If You Ever… – Wanted to see Robert Hays think twice about having a romantic relationship with a goat then Fifty/Fifty is for you.
• Busting Balls – Wyer uses several descriptive terms to give French a hard time including cheese face, brick brain, bird brain, bobblehead, moose nuts and shark bait.
• That’s Low Quote – “Buffalo, NY, the armpit of the world.”