Controversy magnet Mel Gibson is in another B-Movie folks! okay I'm pulling his leg a little but the man behind Passion of the Christ and Apocalypto hasn't really been smashing it on the big screen since Daddy's Home 2. On saying that however On The Line is a bit of a return to form for the 80's action star.
Gibson plays the role of Elvis, a radio talk presenter (think Frasier but more of a Dick) who hosts the midnight shift show On The Line, a no nonsense advice show for those nightowls who want to share their issues. A normal night turns sour when a deranged caller announces on air that he has broken into Elvis' home and has his family hostage. His demands? that he wants to ruin Elvis' life after work place bulling led to the death of his girlfriend. It is a race against time for Elvis and his team to track done his family and make amends for a wrong deed.
On The Line was actually surprisingly tense at the start, the scene where Elvis realises Gary has his daughter at gun point making my stomach drop but sadly these moments saving grace for this film as a whole because wow the acting from Gibson and his team is, at times, very jarring. There is a scene in a stairwell which really wasn't Mel Gibson at his best, giving a delivery so wooden it would make Pinocchio blush. This scene was teamed with a pointless game to try and add more tension. If you can by past these small irritants On The Line is a good watch and while the reveal was a bit of a head scratcher, and to some i think will feel a bit cheap, I didn't expect it so I will give it props for that.
If you want a turn the brain off semi-tense game of cat and mouse you won't go wrong with this film. An aged rugged Mel Gibson fits this role perfect especially as he is playing a total dick which I am sure comes very naturally to him.
Gibson plays the role of Elvis, a radio talk presenter (think Frasier but more of a Dick) who hosts the midnight shift show On The Line, a no nonsense advice show for those nightowls who want to share their issues. A normal night turns sour when a deranged caller announces on air that he has broken into Elvis' home and has his family hostage. His demands? that he wants to ruin Elvis' life after work place bulling led to the death of his girlfriend. It is a race against time for Elvis and his team to track done his family and make amends for a wrong deed.
On The Line was actually surprisingly tense at the start, the scene where Elvis realises Gary has his daughter at gun point making my stomach drop but sadly these moments saving grace for this film as a whole because wow the acting from Gibson and his team is, at times, very jarring. There is a scene in a stairwell which really wasn't Mel Gibson at his best, giving a delivery so wooden it would make Pinocchio blush. This scene was teamed with a pointless game to try and add more tension. If you can by past these small irritants On The Line is a good watch and while the reveal was a bit of a head scratcher, and to some i think will feel a bit cheap, I didn't expect it so I will give it props for that.
If you want a turn the brain off semi-tense game of cat and mouse you won't go wrong with this film. An aged rugged Mel Gibson fits this role perfect especially as he is playing a total dick which I am sure comes very naturally to him.