As the old saying goes: the more Kevin Costner, the better. At least that’s what the saying should be, as Costner brought a ton of heart to Man of Steel and will soon appear in Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit. It’s unclear whether he will get to smack some thugs around in that movie, and if that’s not the case, he’ll have the opportunity to do so a month later in 3 Days to Kill.
Costner plays Ethan Runner, a dying ex-secret service agent who, in service for one last mast mission, is handed an experimental drug that’ll give him more time with his estranged daughter (Hailee Steinfeld). Since the movie is directed by McG and co-written by Luc Besson (The Fifth Element), it’s not as serious as it sounds.
The first trailer for the film gives a clear sense of what they’re aiming for. Take a look:
If McG knows one thing, it’s how to craft a slick picture, which is a fact on full display in this trailer. McG understands action, so a streamlined Besson script should serve his skill set well. He’s one of those directors who, with the right script and cast, can really deliver. Revisit Charlie’s Angels if you don’t believe me. The same can’t be said for its sequel, but the first Charlie’s Angels has charms. Sam Rockwell is a major burst of energy in that movie, and I’m predicting Amber Heard (All the Boys Love Mandy Lane) might do the same favor for 3 Days to Kill. When they test screened the film a few months ago, I heard good things about Heard’s performance, but most of the praise was for Costner. He is on a roll right now, and we shouldn’t expect that string of success to stop with this.
Another welcome face in this trailer: actress Connie Nielsen. Nielsen isn’t an actor who’s constantly working, but she has this and Lars von Trier’s Nymphomaniac coming out next year. They’re both wildly different films, unless 3 Days to Kill has a sexually charged subplot we don’t know about, and it’ll be nice to see her face again. She’s playing the mother to Runner’s child – and maybe his wife? – so she likely won’t partake in the action, especially since she’s leaving the kid with Runner for a work trip. Hopefully it’s not a nothing role for Nielsen. Besson has generally found ways to make his female characters count in his male-centric stories.
Seeing Connie Nielsen in this trailer is perfect timing with Christmas right around the corner. If you don’t recall, she had a great part in Harold Ramis’s The Ice Harvest, a Christmas classic that has yet to become a “Christmas classic.” Maybe give it another watch over the holidays so you can be reminded of how good Nielsen is and why we should be excited about seeing her on the big screen.
3 Days to Kill opens in theaters on February 21, 2014.