Baltasar Kormákur directs Denzel Washington, Mark Wahlberg and Bill Paxton in this action throwback to 80’s buddy cop movies.

A welcome blast of stale air – so nothing overly original happens, and who cares? The leads have chemistry and thrown into the testtube is the right mix of shootouts, explosions, twists, banter, bonding, callbacks and even old school R-Rated titties. It all feels on point, satisfying if never excellent. Humour might not be Denzel’s forte but the script (originally developed for Vince Vaughn and Owen Wilson) carries him while Wahlberg, who is a dab hand at being goofy beefcake second fiddle by now, keeps him in rhythm. In fact, if you just judged this on the opening act I might even say it holds a candle to Midnight Run or The Last Boy Scout… yet over its full course 2 Guns makes the mistake of keeping its many, many villains all in play until the end. Meaning although pleasingly chaotic, their comeuppance and the heroes victory feels one note in the closing Mexican stand off. A smile inducing entertainment and right up my street.

7