They Escape to the FORTRESS

 

Jeri Jacquin

Coming to Bluray and Digital from director James Cullen Bressack and Lionsgate is secrets and revenge coming to the FORTRESS.

Paul Michaels (Jesse Metcalfe) owns a company that is in trouble. After years of silence between father and son, Paul goes to see his father Robert (Bruce Willis) who lives in a retirement community. Finally sitting in a room together, Paul expresses his hurt feelings about the death of his mother and the alienation of Robert.

Feeling he deserves financial help from his company, Paul makes it clear that Robert kind of owes him to save the company. Just as they begin to discuss it, a horn blasts and everyone begins to scatter. Security Kate (Kelly Greyson) knows just what to do as Robert discovers there are heavily armed intruders shooting up the place.

Kate is told to take Paul to the Fortress and he can not believe what he is seeing. Entering a bunker he meets Gen. Barbara Dobbs (Shannen Doherty) everywhere around Paul is military technology. Finally joined by Robert, the family secrets come pouring out and he is stunned.

Trying to get into the locked down fortress is a very angry Frederick Balzary (Chad Michael Murray) along with his top hit man Ulysses (Ser’Darius Blain). On the outside wanting to get in the mix for Robert is Blain (Michael Sirow) and he is not afraid to get his hands – well dirty.

Paul learns the story that everything is happening because Balzary has a grudge against Robert and is going to get his pound of flesh. What both father and son do not know is that there are more secrets, more lies and more deception that are going challenge them both.

Willis as Robert is a father who has been estranged from his son for reasons that are as hard on him as his son. Sitting in a room together to try and explain while hearing his son speak of his own pain is difficult. They also do not have time to embrace their feelings because bad guys are right outside the door. Willis gives us his gruff and straight forward character that he has perfected but it is still fun to watch.

Metcalfe as Paul is a business owner whose business is in trouble. Turning to Robert is not something he wanted to do but getting money and a chance to vent his anger brings him face to face with his father. Metcalfe gives his character insecurities and a bit of brattiness that will not serve him well when the chaos begins.

Greyson as Kate is the athletic well-rounded bit of security who knows what the Fortress is and what has been happening. Given charge of Paul, Kate is also well trained and knows what is expected of her but did not expect to get eyes from Robert’s son.

Murray as Balzary is just plain nuts. From the moment he enters the picture until the very, very end, Murray gives us a man on a mission of revenge but also would not mind getting access to a bunch of money. You could say that he is unhinged and playing rough is something he enjoys and Murray gives us all of that.

Doherty as Dobbs is a woman who knows how to run a tight ship. She knows Robert’s history and makes sure that Paul is aware. When the twists happen, it is Doherty’s character of Dobbs who is called to do the right thing but will she?

Shout out to Sirow as Blain who had me laughing from start to finish. The way he sees the world and how he handles it is a mixture of a guy who does not realize he is funny with the jaw dropping assassin that lives inside him.

Other cast include Katalina Viteri as Sophia, Lauren McCord as Garner, Sean Kanan as Vlad, Daniel Gonzalez as Viktor, Natalie Burn as Sandra, Luillo Ruiz as Jones, Trae as Ireland as Jack, Simon Phillips, Peter Dordova as Bodyguard, and Canyon Prince as McNiell.

Lionsgate is a global leader in motion picture production and distribution for theatres, television, home entertainment and more. Theatre franchises include THE HUNGER GAMES, and DIVERGENT along with JOHN WICK. Now, adding this film to its 16,000-motion picture and television titles you can see everything coming soon as well as available now at http://www.lionsgate.com.

FORTRESS is an action paced film with good guys vs. bad guys but both sides had issues that have followed them to this point. Willis, Metcalfe and Murray are dealing with all of the chaos from beginning to end. Each character’s story is intertwined and there is no way to get past it without a battle.

The three main characters, along with Doherty are fairly straight forward but the other actors seemed a little awkward. If you look past that then it is the Willis vs. Murray show who bring their issues to the service but there is so much more that has not been told or the twists that are to come.

In the end – breaking in is hard and breaking out is impossible!