Rating: 
Country: USA
Release Date: April 2, 2004
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Movie Review: Walking Tall
by Scott Juba
Published: April 2, 2004
Distributor: |
Director: |
Cast: |
MGM |
Kevin Bray |
The Rock as Chris Vaughn
Johnny Knoxville as Ray Templeton
Neal McDonough as Jay Hamilton Jr.
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For more information: IMDb Link |
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With Arnold Schwarzenegger’s departure from acting, Hollywood is eager to find another macho actor that can draw audiences based on his persona rather than his talent. With The Rock, they seem to have found that man.
In his latest film, "Walking Tall", The Rock plays a war hero who returns to his hometown to find that it has been overrun with corruption. In an attempt to restore justice to the area, he runs for sheriff, and once elected, aims to destroy the drug lords that have taken control of the city.
Although The Rock is not nearly as amateurish as he was in his previous films,"Walking Tall’s" illogical, paper-thin plot makes the movie barely watchable. The action sequences are way over the top, and the attempts to infuse a sense of justice into the film are half hearted at best. As the story progresses, "Walking Tall" becomes less about doing what’s right and more about giving The Rock the opportunity to destroy everything and everyone in sight.
On a positive note, Jackass’s Johnny Knoxville proves to be a formidable sidekick for The Rock, delivering much needed comic relief to the movie. The two make a solid onscreen pair; but unfortunately, their relationship is used to turn the film into an offbeat, rather violent buddy cop movie.
By the standard of most major motion pictures, "Walking Tall" also has a relatively short running time. Excluding credits, the film is only approximately 75 minutes long. The brief length is disappointing, especially considering that the conclusion is predictable and anti-climactic.
Overall, "Walking Tall" is mindless action entertainment that places trivial action above solid storytelling. Fans of The Rock may enjoy the film, but most moviegoers will likely be disappointed by it's shortcomings.
Overall Grade: D+
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