Directed by Baltasar Kormákur
Staring Mark Wahlberg, Giovanni Ribisi and Kate Beckinsale
Rated MA
Score 6/6

To protect his brother-in-law from a drug lord, a former smuggler heads to Panama to score millions of dollars in counterfeit bills.

Contraband is a remake of an Icelandic film Reykjavík Rotterdam directed by Óskar Jónasson. My first thoughts while watching Contraband was that it seemed to be vaguely similar to the 2000 movie Gone in Sixty seconds. Despite the distinct lack of car pornography, I would regard Contraband as the intelligent person’s choice.
Contraband really did not come across as being the typical crime movie. Yes, there was some good old-fashioned heart pounding action however; the story was more focused on the relationships. Even though I have not seen Reykjavík Rotterdam, it is good to see that so many people involved with the original made the remake.
After watching, the brilliant dynamic between the brilliant Mark Wahlberg, Giovanni Ribisi and Ben Foster made me curious enough to want check out Reykjavík Rotterdam when I get the chance.
For the trivia fans out that, there you might be interested that Reykjavík Rotterdam was Iceland’s official submission to 82nd Academy Award’s Foreign Language in 2010, but failed to be nominated.