op assassin Joe Flood (Dave Bautista) completes his assignments with precision, efficiency, and a code of honor that has earned him respect from many of his colleagues – save for the likes of rival hitwoman Antoinette (Pom Klementieff) and her mercenary organization, which frequently skirts the rules of their illicit industry. After a string of successful hits, each accompanied by bouts of severe headaches, Joe’s mentor and handler Zvi (Ben Kingsley) strongly recommends some time away for a vacation and a social life. Joe disagrees, but when he encounters beautiful ballet dancer Maize (Sofia Boutella), he quickly falls in love – and even ponders exiting his career completely to be with her. After receiving the grimmest of news from his doctor, Joe decides that if he is assassinated, then Maize can benefit from his life insurance policy. When Zvi refuses to accept the job, Joe is forced to use Antoinette’s services, but the vindictive villainess overdelivers. Soon, an excess of executioners, including the Goyang Gang (Lee Hoon), the McKenzie Brothers (Drew McIntyre, Scott Adkins), the Party Girls (Shaina West, Lucy Cork), Botas (Marko Zaror), and Lovedahl (Terry Crews), begin descending upon the formidable former killer.

He’s a slick, smooth, confident professional, who ruthlessly executes his targets, then effortlessly vanishes into thin air. And his surefooted aura is largely attributable to the notion that he only offs undesirable brutes; no collateral damage occurs during his missions. Yet even though Joe’s opponents are all deserving of his brand of justice, there’s something undoubtedly incongruent when it comes to the onscreen butchery; when the violence is so excessive and gratuitous, it’s difficult to separate the extremeness from the person responsible for it. Is it meant to be satisfying to see enemies mutilated and disintegrated when the hero is the one orchestrating the brutalities? “It might be time to reevaluate your lifestyle.”

Joe is a killer with a conscience, which doesn’t quite stick, even though he only combats thugs with bad intentions. Nevertheless, Bautista plays the gentle giant well, generating a relatable awkwardness and sympathy; he’s likable, which is something often lacking from larger-than-life action heavies – particularly in the projects of other WWE personas turned movie stars. It even helps with the romantic drama, which isn’t so much convincing as it is understandable and acceptable. He’s far more believable as a physical fighter, but it’s still a wise choice to develop the relationship between Joe and Maize so that he’s human rather than an emotionless terminator.

It’s quite fortunate that Bautista is a strong lead, since many of the film’s other choices work against its success. Some of the comedy is quirky and effective, but the dialogue is considerably generic, while the plot is overly predictable. There’s so little originality in the setup – from the character designs to the overwrought editing (it wants to be stylish to the detriment of preventing the feel of a cheesy comic book adaptation) to the fatuousness of the assorted hit-people (and an obnoxiously insincere assassin app that makes the titular “game” feel like a video game). The dire medical prognosis lends to a decent twist, but it’s not enough to fuel an entire picture, especially as it borrows liberally from “Shoot ‘Em Up,” “Smokin’ Aces,” “Bullet Train,” the last couple of “John Wick” sequels, and other action-comedy hybrids for its smorgasbord of dangerous murderers colliding with fellow dangerous murderers.

Here, it’s all played for laughs, with cartoonish roles facing off in grand environments for destruction. But it grows increasingly difficult to care about the heroes when everything is approached with flippancy – from the general invincibility of the hulking protagonist, to the fact that virtually everyone provides their own comic relief (a momentary mockery of religion is fun), to the CG blood and unrealistic choreography surrounding an uninspired variety of rogues. At least the mood is reasonably airy and the pacing is fine, though the script should have been a little more ambitious with the adventure; it may be ultimately forgettable, but it’s entirely watchable.

– The Massie Twins