Blu-ray Review: Kevin Costner Actioner ‘3 Days to Kill’ is Slick, Forgettable

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CHICAGO – “3 Days to Kill” is a bit like “Taken,” in that it was co-created by French action maestro Luc Besson, but directed by somebody else. However, it is indeed not like “Taken” in that this movie never roars out of the gate, which is also about a multi-tasking American dad abroad looking for answers as a clock ticks. To be fair, “3 Days to Kill” does become its own movie, but it’s just not a good one.

Rating: 2.0/5.0

Despite the forces going for it, including Oscar-nominee Hailee Steinfeld, international car chases, and yes, Besson, the movie remains stubbornly generic. The simple pleasures of watching Costner in an action role such as this must go beyond his wearing of a peacoat, and his brooding harnessing of a pistol. Even with its espionage shenanigans and dark comedy, “3 Days to Kill” remains too slick for its own good, with fragments of interesting moments only to be found in certain shots from its stylized cinematography.

The Blu-ray for this release comes with generic features as well, including a ten-minute behind the scenes featurette, and a similarly ordinary special about the set work of a rather ordinary auteur, McG. Perhaps the “3 Days to Kill” Blu-ray will most be known for its third special feature, a brief confession from a man who lived the life of Costner’s character, presenting the type of fatherhood conflict that does make for an intriguing drama, with bits of action in between. But such is just not told very well in this McG/Besson collaboration.

3 Days to Kill was released on Blu-ray on May 20, 2014
Photo credit: 20th Century Fox

Synopsis: A gruff American spy in Paris (Costner) tries to connect with his daughter (Steinfeld) while he suffers from a sickness that threatens his life. He receives an experimental drug as payment for hunting down thugs that will lead him to the world’s most dangerous terrorist.

Special Features:
o The Making of “3 Days to Kill”
o McG’s Method
o Covert Operation
o DVD Copy of “3 Days to Kill”
o Digital Copy of “3 Days to Kill”

By Nick Allen
Contributor
HollywoodChicago.com