Movie Review: ‘Samaritan’ On Prime Video

Review by James Lindorf

Fourteen years after Will Smith played a curmudgeonly former superhero, Sylvester Stallone is taking his turn in the MGM and Prime Video film “Samaritan.” Directed by Julius Avery, “Samaritan” is set in the fictitious Granite City where 25 years ago, superpowered siblings Samaritan and Nemesis clashed for the final time. Decades have passed since anyone has seen them but their logos are spray-painted as symbols of hope and rage in the crumbling city. A reluctant hero must rise from the ashes when tensions threaten to boil over. “Samaritan” will be available on Prime Video on August 26th.

The story centers around Sam (Javon Walton), a 13-year-old petty thief with a heart of gold. Sam is Samaritan’s biggest fan, believing he is the embodiment of justice and all things good, but hope won’t help his mom pay the rent. Sam may lack proof, but his gut tells him that Samaritan survived the deadly battle and has been biding his time to save the city again. Any older man in better than average physical shape ends up under Sam’s scrutinizing gaze. The latest suspect is sanitation worker Joe Smith (Sylvester Stallone), who lives across the courtyard from Sam. Hero or not, Joe finds himself involved with Sam when the boy runs afoul of a local crime boss and Nemesis superfan Cyrus (Pilou Asbæk). Cyrus dreams of acting out Nemesis’ final plan, bringing the government to its knees for abandoning the people when they needed them the most.

Compared to most superhero movies, “Samaritan” is bare bones. The action scenes are limited both by budget and its 76-year-old star. Giving Joe super strength and near invulnerability was a wise decision because they aren’t flashy powers that require more money. People have been pulled away on zip lines, thrown off buildings, and had their bones “broken” for decades before CGI could make people shoot lasers out of their eyes or control the weather. The action is entertaining but unremarkable. It feels like a throwback to the Arnold classic “Commando” when he stormed the compound to rescue his daughter. During the climax, the action is big, boisterous, and nonstop. Still, there is nothing like the hallway scene in “Oldboy,” the elevator scene in “Winter Soldier,” or the bathroom fight in “Mission Impossible: Fallout.” Action movies often include some cheesy dialoge. Stallone has some notable one-liners like “You’re the disease, and I’m the cure,” “send a maniac to catch a maniac,” and, of course, “yo Adrian.” However, when you think of classic action movie lines, “Samaritan” is a career highlight.

“Samaritan” has a solid narrative framework. They were questioning if good and evil can exist in all of us, if change as a person is possible, and the importance of symbols. Unfortunately, instead of diving deep into those real and often dark questions, the framework was filled out with something akin to “Cop & ½” or another Arnold movie, “Last Action Hero.” What begins as an odd couple of hero worship and annoyance becomes a genuine friendship. Had Avery and screenwriter Bragi F. Schut tackled these questions, they may have had a “Kick-Ass” style hit or at least a “Super” level cult classic on their hands. Instead, they are left with an entertaining but ultimately forgettable entry on Stallone’s filmography.

Joe is a self-described troglodyte, and the worst thing for a film is to be left alone, which is the most likely fate of “Samaritan.” This is a shame because the film does several things well and quickly passes the time. “Samaritan” comes in at a 3 out of 5 for me because of Walton’s performance, Stallone’s charisma, and their attempt to discuss contemporary issues, even if it only skims the surface.

Directed by: Julius Avery
Written by: Bragi F. Schut
Producers: Sylvester Stallone, p.g.a., Braden Aftergood, p.g.a.
Executive Producers: Bragi F. Schut, David Kern, Adam Rosenberg, Guy Riedel
Cast: Sylvester Stallone, Javon “Wanna” Walton, Pilou Asbæk, Dascha Polanco, Moises Arias
Genre: Action Thriller
Rating: PG-13 for strong violence and strong language