Last Updated on November 1, 2024 by Stephinie Heitman
72 Hours is a 2024 Action Movie directed by Garrett Batty and written by Sean Crayne, Roberto Sanchez, and Christian Sesma. The film stars Cam Gigandet, Nicky Whelan, and Jana Kramer and was released on November 1, 2024. It has a runtime of 1 hour 27 minutes.
The main director and co-writer Christian Sesma establishes 72 Hours with a thrilling yet rather puzzling first scene. It starts with an FBI operation to prevent some bad guys from engaging in an illicit sort of transaction in cryptocurrency. However, rather than giving proper context to the viewers as to why the characters are messing around from one place to the next, the movie immediately cuts to a bloody shooting scene at a motel. This scene was intended to be intense and exciting, but the constant switching of camera angles is confusing and does not clearly show all the chaos going on.
72 Hours centers on Sebastian, portrayed by Sam Trammell, he is an FBI agent, which should indicate his intelligence and prior knowledge. Following the disruptive mission, he feels the need to retire, which he shares with his affluent brother Alex, portrayed by Cam Gigandet during the birthday party of his daughter. The absence of Sebastian’s curiosity regarding Alex’s sudden wealth, which is suggested in the latter part of the movie, is mind-boggling. This creates a rather paradoxical setting of a world in which the character does not seem to be capable of making intelligent decisions and so it’s impossible to get into the story.
The notion of an organized narrative is slowly lost as the film reels progress which feels more like a series of loosely connected scenes building up to an exciting gunfight. Here’s the gist of the story: Sebastian discovers that his brother Alex works for Tye and that Alex takes a hard drive from Tye for some unspecified purpose. The villain then decides to kidnap Alex’s daughter and informs him that he will get 72 hours to return the hard drive or else she will be killed. However, thisанная setting is not fully utilized in the movie.
After revealing the stakes, the viewers follow the story of Sebastian who then grudgingly assembles a few ex-criminals he knows. These characters are Tessa (portrayed by Nicky Whelan), Johnny (portrayed by Alexander Kane), and Vincent (portrayed by Vernon Davis). Sadly, most of them do not receive characterization or backstories and are mostly seen as Sebastian’s supporters. This is the only part of the movie when they have some dialogue, and after that, they stay mostly idle, assisting now and then.
The movie has a basic plot and is almost plotless in terms of the development of characters and their issues. Despite the great premise of having a lawman and a criminal at odds with each other, the movie settles the conflict between them too conveniently. At some point, one of them is just told that they have to cooperate to do something for Alex’s daughter. This could make the viewers question if this scene is intended to be serious or if it is just the plot being advanced in a rather dodgy way.
From my point of view, It just left me with an overall feeling that the movie lacked a lot of subplots that should be present in the film. Essaying the role of a writer, Sesma along with Sean Crayne have penned the screenplay that appears to be a half-baked idea of a thriller film. We have our heroes, anti-heroes, and a villain, but the bad guy, Tye Revello (played by Pierson Fode), is more focused on partying and being distracted by women than actually being a threatening criminal. For example, he is depicted naked in a shower clause with two women and completely oblivious to a message warning him that he has a meeting with his boss. It can only be concluded that Tye has his priorities wrong, and, surprisingly, it appears that the filmmakers are no better.
The ending is supposed to draw on the opening scene, but the final shootout is more clinical than the initial standoff. That is very good for us because we can easily find where everyone is. Still, it is regretful to note that the only thing that seems to be worth mentioning about this flick is the fact that the filmmakers were finally able to offer a somewhat clear and intense scene after all the much hullabaloo. All in all, 72 Hours is a movie that can be interesting but fails in terms of characters and the plot, thus staying an average action thriller.
72 Hours 2024 Parents Guide Age Rating
72 Hours is not rated because it has not undergone the official rating process by the Motion Picture Rating (MPA).
Violence and Action: Numerous shootouts and intense gunfights, including a chaotic opening scene involving FBI agents and criminals. Characters are shot and injured; at least one character dies violently. Includes physical confrontations and threats throughout the film.
Language: Mild to moderate strong language present, including swearing.
Sexual Content: The opening scene features a threesome involving the character, Tye Revello. Casual sexual encounters are depicted throughout the film. Suggestive comments and sexual innuendos in the dialogue.
Substance Use: Characters are seen drinking at social events.References to drug use in the context of criminal activity, but not explicitly shown.
Recommendation: Best suited for viewers aged 16 and up; parental guidance is advised for younger teens due to violence, sexual content, and mature themes.
