As someone who’s seen more action movies than I care to remember, I must confess that my movie-watching journey has taken me through a rollercoaster of emotions – from sheer excitement to deep disappointment and back again. The Cold Light of Day is one of those movies that initially left me feeling rather let down, but now, finding it on Freevee, I can’t help but appreciate its unapologetic embrace of the action genre clichés we all love (or secretly tolerate).
Despite achieving significant success individually, their 2012 joint project turned out to be one of the lowest-rated films in their impressive portfolios. Interestingly, this 14-year-old film has found a fresh fanbase on FreeVee.
Action movies, often criticized for their excessive violence, repetitive plots, and formulaic dialogue, continue to attract audiences. Despite the skepticism of critics, films featuring explosions, fights, and familiar tropes remain popular, whether they’re blockbusters starring big-name actors or low-budget video on demand releases. The movie The Cold Light of Day, with its plot revolving around a dangerous conspiracy, kidnapped family, gunfights, car chases, and a gritty performance by Bruce Willis, has once again found an audience more than ten years after it was initially released.
Regardless of a dismal 4% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, The Cold Light of Day boasts a star-studded cast including Henry Cavill (before his Superman days), Bruce Willis, and Sigourney Weaver. While these gifted actors make for an impressive lineup, they couldn’t compensate for a weak script or flawed production. The film was heavily criticized as an unoriginal copy of popular franchises. Sadly, much of the criticism fell on Cavill’s character, with some suggesting that it was partly responsible for the negative reception. As for Willis, while some were not displeased by his minor role, many wondered why he chose to be involved in this movie at all.
The Cold Light of Day is a Generic Action Movie for Action’s Sake
In action movies, you’ll often find that six fundamental storylines are repeated. “The Cold Light of Day” blends three of these elements: a protagonist who keeps his professional life secret from his family, an abduction involving something valuable to the villains, and a tense race against time to prevent disaster.
Will Shaw, portrayed by Cavill, becomes the focal point in this high-octane trio scenario when his family gets kidnapped during a vacation in Spain. The plot unfolds as his father’s (Willis) covert CIA history surfaces as the main cause. As Shaw uncovers more secrets about his dad’s life, he bounces from battling corrupt authorities to confronting criminals, all while trying to save his family and manage to survive himself.
Similar to numerous other films that didn’t receive favorable criticism, viewers browsing streaming services often don’t bother reading reviews before deciding to watch a movie. For example, movies like The Cold Light of Day, which were initially overlooked or panned, have found new life on streaming platforms, thanks to their abundance of forgotten films. This unexpected revival has been particularly beneficial for actors like Bruce Willis, as it allows his later-career films, previously criticized by critics, to gain some level of success in retrospect.
The Cold Light of
Day
is available to stream for free on Freevee.
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2024-09-08 23:04