3 Days to Kill

3 Days to Kill

Rated PG-13 and Released in Grand Rapids 2/21/14

Reviewed 2/26/14 at Celebration North Theatre

with Gary, Aaron and Danelle

2 1/2 out of 5 Js in QUIET Rating System

Called a spy action drama, it can really be pared down to a drama with some spy action. The storyline caught us off guard with an unexpected premise. Kevin Costner plays dying CIA agent Ethan Runner trying to reconnect with teen daughter Zoey Runner (Hailee Steinfeld) who lives with her mother, his estranged wife, in Paris. Zoey harbors resentment towards her dad but it's certainly justified. Costner is probably more apt at roles similar to his upcoming movie Draft Day, not so much as CIA tough guy spy. His performance is passable at best; Costner is no Liam Neesen. Danelle and Aaron, being our harsher critics, thought it was barely a 2. We all thought it was worth seeing, but better suited for a trip to the cheapie theatre.

Ethan Runner has just tangled with a hunted bad guy known as "The Albino" who barely escapes from the beaten up Ethan after a heavy pursuit in the D.C. area. After lying in the hospital, Ethan learns of his illness which prompts him to head to Paris and spend as much time as he can with his daughter.

Zoey doesn't welcome her absentee father with open arms. In spite of that, he still manages to wiggle his way into both her and Christine's (Connie Nelson) lives. He convinces Christine that he is no longer involved in the agency as he is sick so she allows it, but with hesitation.

Kind of abruptly another CIA agent, not-very-dressed-for-the-job sultry Vivi Delay (Amber Heard), seeks out Ethan and makes him a bizarre offer. Hunt down The Albino who will lead to his boss The Wolf, the real target, and simply kill them. The stipulation is that Vivi will provide him experimental drugs for his illness. Hesitating for just a moment, Ethan is convinced. After all, this will allow more time with his family. Why gun-toting spy Vivi, who seems to know the whereabouts of everyone, doesn't do the deed herself is not really addressed. All the while Ethan is fighting his way around Paris, he is trying to win over Zoey with some rather goofy ideas, but he is a little out of practice with the parent thing. In the backdrop is Ethan and Christine rekindling their apparent spark that didn't die out. Some humorous moments, with a smidge of sentiment, takes place when Ethan moves back to Paris and a family of squatters has taken over his apartment. This became more touching than the major father-daughter storyline that was supposed to charm us. As it is winding down, 3 Days to Kill has a predictable conclusion that left us hoping for more fireworks and excitement down the stretch. That being said, I wouldn't skip it all together but knowing this flick is no Taken will help lower your expectations and make it more worthwhile.

QUIET Rating system: 2 ½ Js

Quality: JJ

Understood story:  JJ

Interest: JJJ

Entertainment:  JJj

Time:  JJ