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It’s hard to remember when The Blair Witch Project first came out thus ushering in the dawn of the found footage movie. It makes me laugh how people fell for the advertising thinking that it was real and the actors actually had to go on talk shows to verify, yep, it’s just a movie but at the same time, it resonated just how killer this film concept was. Fast forward t present day and it’s hard to fathom that pretty much all the found footage movies are of the horror genre variety with a few more fantastical pics thrown in. If anything, action cinema was tailor made for this trope and now we have a bad ass and legit entry with filmmaker James Cullen Bressack’s new revenge actioner The Workout.
Chronicling two former Army Rangers’ personal quest for brutal vengeance, The Workout is a full throttle missile that never lets up and surpasses any flaws to deliver action cinemas first found footage thriller that hits the audience with cleverly staged action sequences and heartfelt human drama rolled all into one. Bressack, who actually comes from a horror background, has parlayed into action over the last few years and he’s worked with some of the best in the biz like JCVD, Mel Gibson, Steven Seagal and Bruce Willis. Bressack is a true fan of the genre and here his output of unflinching CQB combat, questions of justice and revenge and that actions have consequences that steamroll to the ballistic finale where one must question what is right and wrong in the end.
The Workout stars Peter Jae (Darkness of Man) as Wyatt and Josh Kelly as Levi whose world is thrown out of control when Wyatt’s wife Becca (Galadriel Stineman), who is also Levi’s sister, is brutally gunned down while the three are making a workout video in their studio. To make matters even worse, Becca was pregnant and even though the baby survives, the effect of Becca’s death has devoured Wyatt with a fierce sense of vengeance. To make those matters even worse, Wyatt suffered a severe brain injury during the assault and in turn, his memory and cognitive functions are fading away.
With little time left and his brain and body failing him, Wyatt calls on Levi and their military pal Tank (Ashlee Evens-Smith) to polish off their lethal skill sets and execute a kill mission on organized crime and bring those responsible to ultimate justice. During their mission, Wyatt comes up with the plan to document it all on film so when his daughter grows up, she’ll understand what happened and that her father was a good man who took it upon himself to deliver the acquired vengeance. At the same time, Wyatt also wants her to know that actions have consequences and for better or worse, they did what they did because they had to.
The Workout never strays from its intended formula and quickly sets the plot in motion leaving little wiggle room for viewers to breath. Bressack knows what fans want and he gives it to them with ample sequences of brutal beatdowns and firefights that are cleverly staged and the use of current technology works in the film’s favor as this is a slick and polished found footage action pic that flows and never looks cheap or misguided. The audience is able to see all the action and drama unfold in a smooth and feverishly rapid-fire pace that elevates this movie from other standard revenge fair.
Peter Jae leads the cast, and he is sensational as Wyatt who is essentially on borrowed time, and he works every moment to the max whether it’s a low-key sequence or a violent altercation. Jae is able to bring Wyatt’s rage and uncertainty to the surface and as a dad, I could relate on every level with him. You can really see the pain and torment in his performance and as his brother-in-law/army buddy Levi, Josh Kelly is the perfect complement to him as he has to basically see this whole quest through while taking care of Wyatt and making sure, he stays straight until the mission is accomplished. They also have great chemistry together and their bond on film looks authentic. Kelly is also a legit former Army Ranger, so he brings a level of authenticity to the action scenes and tactics employed and even helped with the realism of how to execute proper tactical motions.
Bringing up the rear is Ashlee Evens-Smith as Tank, and she is a force to be reckoned with. A real-life MMA fighter, Evens-Smith is a tornado of brutal fluidity, and her action sequences are some of the best including a standout fight in an apartment that is lengthy and savage with punishing precision and execution. If anything, this role just cements that Evens-Smith has solid charisma and onscreen bravado to star in more of these types of films.
If I must talk about shortcomings than I will say that this movie does suffer a little with CGI muzzle fire and suspect acting from some of the supporting cast. It’s par for the course with indie cinema here but once again, it never derails anything, and I found myself invested in this mission until its ultimate climax. There will be those that will dump on the movie just because they can hide behind their computers but Bressack along with the cast and crew poured it all on and left everything on the field delivering something off the beat and path.
Like I stated previously, Bressack floods The Workout with several satisfyingly brutal action scenes that fluctuate between bullets and beatings. Many times, these types of lower budgeted indie films suffer from lack of funds and time, but Bressack shows he knows how to work it and employs some extremely creative methods to bring some ferocious action to the movie. One scene has Wyatt and Levi assaulting a mob boss’ mansion and it is an extended sequence filled with rad bone breaking moves. Normally this would be a shootout, but Bressack chooses to show just how elite these two men are as they navigate several floors of goons thus dispatching them with relative ease. The film never really lets up, and it all culminates in the final confrontation where our heroes make their last stand against an army and as it turns out certain betrayals come to light elevating the story and twisting things up.
Overall, The Workout is another solid notch in the indie action film arsenal and serious hardcore fans should check it out for the creativity on hand. Is it perfect? No, but any lags in production values and acting are overcome by a solid lead cast led by Peter Jae and Josh Kelly and add in an unflinching plot that erupts with unforgiving flavor, this movie says something amidst the desired violence and carnage. The action is brutally satisfying mixing a hellfire of bullets with savage MMA combat and one can do way worse at the end of the day. This film is a testament to what talented people can do even with limited resources and means and that is the greatest victory of all when all is said and done.
VERDICT: 3.5 Out of 5 Stars
The Workout overcomes the standard flaws of indie films and rises to the top delivering a brutally paced revenge thriller with blunt force action and true heartfelt emotion!
The Workout is Now Available on Digital & VOD!
The Action Fix Podcast Exclusive Interview with The Workout’s Main Man of Action Filmmaker James Cullen Bressack!
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