Fortress: Sniper’s Eye
review by Bobby Blakey
For the last few years Bruce Willis has transitioned from A –list action star to a straight to video feature player. He has popped in cameos as well as star turns in these films with very few really standing out. Recently it was announced that he was suffering from aphasia, a condition that affects language cognition and retiring from acting. This brought a new light to his more recent performances and was sad to hear. One of his previous outings, the film Fortress was actually part of a planned trilogy with the first two films shot back to back, but sure that it is likely not getting that third chapter at least with Willis involved. The second chapter Fortress: Sniper’s Eye is here, but does it bring anything to the series and does it do justice to Willis’ legacy or will it fail to hit its target?
Fortress: Sniper’s Eye follows weeks after the deadly assault on Fortress Camp where Robert makes a daring rescue to save Sasha, the widow of his old nemesis, Balzary. But back in the camp’s command bunker, it appears Sasha may have devious plans of her own, and as a new attack breaks out, Robert is confronted with a familiar face he thought he’d never see again.
This next chapter brings back all the surviving and some you didn’t know survived, cast from the previous film alongside Willis including Jesse Metcalfe, Chad Michael Murray, Ser’Darius Blain, Kellie Greyson and Michael Sirow. With my review of the previous film I mentioned how Willis was just walking through the motions and I feel bad now knowing the true reason he was likely struggling. IT appeared in that film and in this one that he shot most of his stuff separate from everyone else and makes total sense now.
This time around he is still very much in it, but they worked in the effects of the last movie to keep him in a bed recuperating for most of the film and only a bit in on the action. He is clearly struggling here performance wise and just made me sad seeing the once action icon have to be used like this. The rest of the cast are just not good here. They are struggling through this
film whether it be bad writing, directing or just all around a train wreck.
The story is all over the place with so many elements that are just unnecessary, the action is generic at best and the tone is uneven throughout. It is supposed to be following up on the events of the previous film and it does, but felt like there is just something missing here with its weak new plot device to work it into something it just didn’t need to be. This could have been and pretty much is a completely different film with no connection to the first film had they just cast different villains. None of it was necessary and does nothing to enhance the previous film in anyway.
While the first film wasn’t all that great it at least brought plenty of action to entertain on some level, this one just felt like a cheaper and unnecessary sequel that brings nothing new or wanted to a franchise that doesn’t need to exist. This will no doubt serve as one of Willis’ final roles if he doesn’t have anything else in the can and it doesn’t do anything for the legacy he created, but out of respect for him I am at least glad I got to check it out for that.
Decide for yourself and check out Fortress: Sniper’s Eye available now on Blu-ray and DVD from Lionsgate.