Liam Gaughan is a writer at Collider with a passion for classic films and the work of Steven Spielberg and Martin Scorsese.
Although he is now known as being one of the most successful movie stars in Hollywood, Dwayne Johnson was once considered to be an underdog when it came to major star vehicles. Although there have been many professional wrestlers over the course of history that dipped their toes into acting, Johnson was not intent on simply doing cameos or appearing to make fun of himself; he was intent on being a legitimate action hero, and took on roles similar to those taken on by stars like Sylvester Stallone, Arnold Schwarzenegger, and Bruce Willis in the 1980s.
Despite the fact that it was initially perceived to be a financial disappointment, the adventure film The Rundown showed just how charismatic Johnson could be as an action star, which led to his increased viability within the next decade of his career. What Is ‘The Rundown’ About? Close Johnson stars in The Rundown as the aspiring chef Beck, who is forced to take odd jobs as a bounty hunter in order to pay for his dream of starting his own restaurant. Although he intends to get out of the criminal business that has proven to be so dangerous, Beck decides to accept one final offer from the gangster Billy Walker , who tasks him with heading to El Dorado to apprehend his unpredictable son, Travis . Although he ends up befriending the local bartender and rebel leader, Mariana , Beck quickly becomes annoyed by Travis’ obnoxious sense-of-humor. However, he is intrigued by Travis’ notion that there is a hidden treasure within the jungle that may prove to be lucrative. Although they agree to form a hasty alliance to work together, Beck and Mariana are forced to elude Cornelius Bernard Hatcher , the town’s ruthless mining operator who intends on taking the treasure for himself. Related Jack Nicholson Was at His Most Devilishly Charismatic in This Deliciously Camp ‘80s Comedy Remember that one time Cher played a witch? Posts Johnson is great in The Rundown because he is playing an unlikely hero who is forced to take on situations and dangers that he would have never willingly engaged in. Although Beck is a world-weary character who has picked up a multitude of skills over the course of the various jobs he has pulled, he is certainly not an expert in jungle survival or treasure hunting, and has tried to avoid being involved in any serious criminal activity. The film benefits from the humbleness that he shows, as Beck’s intention is to simply find a way to have a normal life—he only sees the treasure as a means of achieving his goal. This makes him the perfect candidate for the “unexpected hero” character arc; after becoming aware of the caustic relationship between Travis and Billy, as well as the cruel ways in which Hatcher has treated his underlings, he is forced to act out of the goodness of his heart. However, Johnson’s inherent sense-of-humor also allows him to add a light touch to the material, which avoids it ever becoming too sentimental for its own good. ‘The Rundown’ Proved That Dwayne Johnson Was a Movie Star The Rundown showed the talents that Johnson had as a performer, as he was able to use his years of wrestling experience to craft a three-dimensional character. In addition to nailing all the action scenes thanks to his impressive physicality, Johnson is also able to explore the mindset of a somewhat lonely, soft-hearted character who is given the opportunity to find his purpose. Although Johnson would eventually begin to take on more comic relief roles later on in his career, he is effective as the “straight man” in The Rundown; while some of the more obvious gags come from Scott and Ewen Bremmer, Johnson is able to have a more bemused sensibility that reflects what the audience may feel. The Rundown works because of the unique, vulnerable perspective that Johnson brought to the material, which let him show his depths as an actor. Although he was able to trade one-liners with Scott, he was also able to handle some of the more intimate moments with Dawson, and even hold his own with Walken during some of the more dramatic scenes. While it would financially be eclipsed by some of the more obvious blockbusters he made in his sequent years as an actor, Johnson’s status as a generational talent was solidified in The Rundown. Your Rating close 10 stars 9 stars 8 stars 7 stars 6 stars 5 stars 4 stars 3 stars 2 stars 1 star Rate Now 0/10 Your comment has not been saved The Rundown PG-13 Adventure Action Comedy Thriller Release Date September 26, 2003 Runtime 104 Minutes Director Peter Berg Writers R.J. Stewart, James Vanderbilt Cast See All Main Genre Adventure Powered by Expand Collapse
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