Last Resort (2023) – Review and Summary
The cast and crew all seem to be part of this bad action movie as a “Last Resort.”
Spoiler Alert: This summary and review contains spoilers.
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“Last Resort” Film Summary
“Last Resort” most likely refers to your choice of watching this movie. The Tubi original action film is a classic shoot’em-up tale with a thin plot and a lot of bullets. But the action is so disorienting that you might need a tylenol while watching it; the dialogue is so cringe-inducing that your face will hurt, and you’ll feel bad for everyone involved.
“Last Resort” introduces us to the lazy lifestyle of Michael (John Foo), a former Special Forces soldier who now sits around and watches TV. Michael is in the middle of a divorce from his wife, and despite his daughter’s pleas to keep the family together, he can’t even bother getting up from the couch. But all of that changes when a fellow military man, Cooper (Clayton Norcross), plans to rob a bank. This bank just so happens to be the same place Michael’s wife and daughter are.
Cooper and his endless army of masked minions hold the bank’s workers and customers as hostages. When Michael gets word that his family is in danger, somehow it’s up to him to sneak into the bank to save the day. How does he get into the building?
“Excuse me, officer, your shoe is untied.”
“Oh, thank you.” The officer bends down to tie his shoe, and when he looks up, Michael is gone.
This is the type of plot contrivance you’ll find in “Last Resort.” The next 95 minutes of this movie show Michael shooting, stabbing, and punching his way to find his family, but the action grows boring and repetitive 5 minutes into its runtime.
With an action movie like “Last Resort,” you expect the plot to be thin and the dialogue to be cheesy, but the action has to be good. Alas, there’s no redeemable quality in “Last Resort,” a movie where its own actors look like they’d rather be anywhere else.
Other Noteworthy Information
- “Last Resort” was filmed in Thailand and features many Thai actors and dialogue.
- Actor John Foo and director Jean-Marc Minéo worked together before in “Bangkok Revenge.”
Character Descriptions
Please Note: This character guide is not an exhaustive list of every cast member.
Michael
A former special forces soldier who is struggling to hold his life together as a family man. His priorities are set straight when his family’s life is in danger.
- The actor is also known for their role in “Rush Hour” tv show.
Cooper
As the lead executioner of the bank heist, Cooper orders his minions around and relishes murdering others. Cooper holds Michael’s family hostage, and the two have a prior work history together.
- The actor is also known for their role in “Youthful Daze.”
“Last Resort” Review
Our Rating: Negative (Acquired Taste)
Low Points
Poor Acting Becomes the Most Entertaining Part of “Last Resort”
I know everyone is doing their best, especially in a movie where English is most likely no one’s primary language. But partially due to a bad script and direction, the acting in “Last Resort” feels like everyone is doing a cold reading of the script. John Foo especially seems bored by his own lines and looks like he’s about to fall asleep in his own movie.
Bad Action Makes 30 Minute Movie Become 100 Minute Movie
Thirty minutes into “Last Resort,” you realize there’s a pattern. Michael kicks butt, then makes a call, and Cooper reacts. The plot is understandably thin, like in “Die Hard” or “John Wick,” but the most disappointing part is that the action is lazy, does nothing for the plot, and is repetitive. Any action scene could have easily been removed, and most of them will become mush in your memory.
On The Fence
Quick Cuts Become a Strength and Weakness
“Last Resort” attempts to add tension and immediacy by turning Michael’s struggle to get to his feet and walk across the room into a multiple-cut scene, but the editing really reveals how poorly planned the production process was. Why keep a camera stationery to show Michael walking across a room in the first place? Why do we need to see that? The cuts also never let John Foo, a skilled stuntman, show off what he’s capable of. Let the action be fluid and choreographed, not chopped into a hundred puzzle pieces.
Who Is This For?
Fans of action movies that they can just watch with their brain turned off might enjoy “Last Resort.”
General Information
| Director | Jean-Marc Minéo |
| Screenplay By | Jean-Marc Minéo |
| Date Released | December 14, 2023 |
| How To Watch | Tubi |
| Genre(s) | Action
Non-English (Thai) |
| Film Length | 1 Hour, 47 Minutes |
| Content Rating | Rated R |
| Noted Characters and Cast | |
| Michael | John Foo |
| Cooper | Clayton Norcross |
Content Rating Explanation
“Last Resort” is Rated R due to endless violence, shootings, stabbings, and killings.
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