Black Warrant (2022)

1 Star (out of 4)

Two Dollar Killer

By Jeffrey M. Anderson

The action movie Black Warrant seems to be quite complicated, with many characters and relationships all tangled up together, but it's also a confusing mess of loose ends, easily falling to pieces under scrutiny.

In Tijuana, a government agent (Jeff Fahey) visits an old friend, Nick (Tom Berenger), a retired killer, and calls him back into action; he must complete three "black warrants," and take out targets that are deemed dangerous to U.S. security. Meanwhile, a DEA agent, Anthony Van Owen (Cam Gigandet) raids a warehouse and comes up empty, and in the process loses his best friend and partner, murdered by the dangerous Zico (Rafael Cabrera).

The DEA manages to arrest Fevzi Polat (Peter Nikkos), who has connections to bigger crime lords, for money laundering. Polat also happens to be the first of the "black warrant" hits, and Nick kills him before the DEA can put his intel to use. Anthony soon discovers the identity of the killer, and realizes that they have a history. They must work together to stop a powerful crime lord from using a sinister device that can shut down entire power grids.

Black Warrant was directed by a fellow whose name might be vaguely familiar to 1980s horror hounds, Tibor Takács, of The Gate (1987) and I, Madman (1989). Whatever he was able to accomplish back then is no longer in evidence, as the movie kicks off with several slow scenes of dull, wordy exposition, vainly attempting to set up the web of activity that is to follow. (Somehow, the screenplay is based on a story by the actor Michael Pare!) But as the story unfolds, it becomes apparent that nothing really matters. Characters are killed and other characters simply go about their normal business.

There's even time for the supposed hero Anthony to strike up a romance with a pretty cook, Mina (Helena Haro), just after a lackluster chase scene. When things finally come together and the connection between Nick and the DEA is made, it raises questions of who knew what, and when? And there's no clear answer, other than some screenwriter deemed that it should be so.

The lazy, wobbly filmmaking provides no thrills and relies on the creakiest, most familiar old turns, from beginning to end (which promises a sequel of all things!). Only Oscar-nominee Berenger provides any life to Black Warrant with his patient, earthy portrayal as a burned-out hitman. His best scene has him ordering a "coco loco," a coconut drink/hangover cure. It has nothing to do with anything else, but it's the most honest moment in the movie, which needs any kind of cure it can get.