Peppermint wisely starts in the action, but the confined space in which the opening fight scene takes place coupled with the lack of buildup are emblematic of the film's many issues. Similar to a John Wick movie, it cares little about developing the characters; unlike that series, however, it fails to provide elaborate action set pieces or meticulously choreographed and filmed action sequences. Director Pierre Morel's earlier effort, Taken, was a hit not for its action, but for an engaging premise and Liam Neeson's cold delivery of threats to the baddies. Here, we have a maternal figure rehashing a decades-old formula.
Peppermint follows Riley North, a mild-mannered and caring mother, as she seeks revenge on the men responsible for the deaths of her husband and young daughter. The antagonistic forces are irredeemable Mexican gangsters who comically adopt sinister, Grinch-like grins when Riley is mocked in the courtroom and deprived of justice. She soon steals a large sum of money from the bank in which she works as well as an arsenal of assault rifles and becomes a globetrotting killer. After ritualistically slaying the three men directly responsible for her suffering, she sets her sights on Diego Garcia - the drug lord who ordered the hit - and an over-the-top cartoon character without any shade or nuance.
Whether intentional or subliminal, the condemnation of the Hispanic characters and romanticization of the gun-toting lead character appeal to the gun culture and xenophobia deeply ingrained in the United States. The gang's mercilessness is matched only by their stupidity. They are continually outsmarted and outgunned by a single individual, who - contrary to John Wick - lacks any formal training. In a particularly baffling scene, Riley invades a piñata store complete with Latin music playing perpetually. She gets injured, but there's no deeper conflict for her to resolve. Her skin may not be impenetrable, but her mind is restricted to unbridled thoughts of revenge. Any potential commentary on vigilantism is drowned out by pervading conservative values.
Many will inevitably draw comparisons to another film that glorifies the vigilante at the center - especially with the Eli Roth remake coming out the same year - and they're not unjustified. 1974's Death Wish follows the same basic premise, but after years of milking the franchise, the formula feels fatigued. Despite the proliferating body count, Peppermint is an excruciating bore. The film is wholly devoid of stakes or compelling characters. Riley's motivations are as simple as seeking justice, and Diego's are as simple as restoring order to his drug business. There's no humanity.
The only attempt to humanize the villain is the blink-and-you-miss-it appearance of his daughter, which quickly reveals itself to be yet another ploy to delay his fate and thus pad the runtime. She is not established previously, nor is she utilized at any point later in the film. Peppermint is achingly transparent.
Morel's latest may not be the greatest display of ineptitude, but the lack of ambition and passion from all involved coalesce in a subpar action movie. While one may expect a revenge flick released in 2018 to comment on the futility of vigilantism, blur the line between hero and villain as the protagonist's actions become increasingly macabre, or delve into the cyclical nature of violence, Peppermint is concerned only with pandering to America's unrivaled affinity for guns and aversion to immigrants.
Peppermint follows Riley North, a mild-mannered and caring mother, as she seeks revenge on the men responsible for the deaths of her husband and young daughter. The antagonistic forces are irredeemable Mexican gangsters who comically adopt sinister, Grinch-like grins when Riley is mocked in the courtroom and deprived of justice. She soon steals a large sum of money from the bank in which she works as well as an arsenal of assault rifles and becomes a globetrotting killer. After ritualistically slaying the three men directly responsible for her suffering, she sets her sights on Diego Garcia - the drug lord who ordered the hit - and an over-the-top cartoon character without any shade or nuance.
Whether intentional or subliminal, the condemnation of the Hispanic characters and romanticization of the gun-toting lead character appeal to the gun culture and xenophobia deeply ingrained in the United States. The gang's mercilessness is matched only by their stupidity. They are continually outsmarted and outgunned by a single individual, who - contrary to John Wick - lacks any formal training. In a particularly baffling scene, Riley invades a piñata store complete with Latin music playing perpetually. She gets injured, but there's no deeper conflict for her to resolve. Her skin may not be impenetrable, but her mind is restricted to unbridled thoughts of revenge. Any potential commentary on vigilantism is drowned out by pervading conservative values.
Many will inevitably draw comparisons to another film that glorifies the vigilante at the center - especially with the Eli Roth remake coming out the same year - and they're not unjustified. 1974's Death Wish follows the same basic premise, but after years of milking the franchise, the formula feels fatigued. Despite the proliferating body count, Peppermint is an excruciating bore. The film is wholly devoid of stakes or compelling characters. Riley's motivations are as simple as seeking justice, and Diego's are as simple as restoring order to his drug business. There's no humanity.
The only attempt to humanize the villain is the blink-and-you-miss-it appearance of his daughter, which quickly reveals itself to be yet another ploy to delay his fate and thus pad the runtime. She is not established previously, nor is she utilized at any point later in the film. Peppermint is achingly transparent.
Morel's latest may not be the greatest display of ineptitude, but the lack of ambition and passion from all involved coalesce in a subpar action movie. While one may expect a revenge flick released in 2018 to comment on the futility of vigilantism, blur the line between hero and villain as the protagonist's actions become increasingly macabre, or delve into the cyclical nature of violence, Peppermint is concerned only with pandering to America's unrivaled affinity for guns and aversion to immigrants.