I would think that messing with Jason Statham’s daughter is just as bad an idea as messing with Liam Neeson’s daughter. But James Franco likes courting danger, or so it appears in the Homefront trailer.
Homefront was directed by Gary Fleder and scripted by none other than Statham’s Expendables pal Sylvester Stallone, so that gives us a reasonable idea of what to expect. The story follows former DEA agents Phil Broker (Statham), who moves to a quiet little backwater with his young daughter. There he runs afoul of local drug kingpin Gator (James Franco) and his team of assorted nasties (including Winona Ryder and, apparently, Kate Bosworth). Broker has to go back into action (naturally) to defeat Gator, protect his daughter and save the town. It can only be a job for Jason Statham.
The trailer makes Homefront look less silly than I thought it would. It establishes an edge of menace fairly early on, as Broker’s little daughter kicks a bully on the playground. Things get nasty, and a little more ridiculous, when Franco shows up. Although it’s hard to judge based on a single trailer, I admit that I don’t find James Franco particularly menacing. It’s a little easier to take Kate Bosworth and Winona Ryder seriously, as they grimace and drawl their way into redneck lore.
So while the whole thing smacks of a by-the-book action/thriller, the bizarre combination of Statham and Franco might be worth the price of admission. I don’t expect major thespian performances from Statham, but he’s very good at what he does and he looks on top form here.
You can watch the first Homefront trailer below, and bask in the glory of Jason Statham’s beautiful bald head and James Franco’s glower. Then head to theatres on November 27 for the film’s opening. You know you want to.