Look out, guys, it’s the umpteenth time that someone wants revenge against a crime lord! Where in the John Wick have we seen that as of recent? No, yours indeed think it might’ve been Kill Bill or maybe Memento, but it’s at least a different atmosphere than Gladiator, right?
Jollification aside, The Wrecker is simply another revenge tale that doesn’t break much ground in terms of style or flair compared to other outings we’ve witnessed over the decades. Director Art Camacho is off trying to redeem himself after the “not so great” Ruthless, with some wrenches thrown in for kinetic action and an all-out war between a father and a crime lord. However, it never pops, as the wounds cannot lick off the monotony around these parts when seeking redemption through personal loss.
Tony (Niko Foster) is living the simple life, raising his two daughters while running a repair shop, but gets thrown into a world of chaos as his younger brother Bobby (Chad Michael Collins) takes him for a car ride and ends up knocked out, sitting in front of a dangerous criminal, Dante (Harvey Keitel). Dante will hold Bobby hostage, but wants $28 million paid up front for Tony to save his brother. With resistance, Dante lets most of that mountaintop of debt slide as long as Tony performs several acts to cover Dante. You know, the usual: knocking out criminals and destroying money-laundering/trafficking fronts. But Tony doesn’t want any guns. Ok, so a wrench and fists will do the job. Meanwhile, a loner detective named Boswell (Tyrese Gibson) casually keeps his distance, wanting to take down Dante as well, but not willing to make much of an impression until the second half of the film. Dante goes overboard in attacking Tony’s personal life, and a war erupts between the two sides, bringing brutal blows and bloodshed throughout the film.
Bulging biceps and all, Foster is the typical ’80s macho hero. Perhaps it didn’t need a line of dialogue to state that Dante is the “biggest crime boss since Al Capone,” but so be it. Taking an unorthodox route by solely using fists instead of guns makes our protagonist noble, although that gimmick does wear off soon, as the action doesn’t do anything scintillating, such as the one-take shots in the John Wick and Kill Bill installments. And Gibson squanders around like someone who would’ve instead played a cop in any other film, as he only seems tethered to the script to collect a paycheck. Perhaps they wanted to do an alternate take on Fast & Furious, with the weaponized truck in the final twenty-five minutes and the cross necklace that Tony takes off after the personal tragedy. Bouncy camerawork and another run-of-the-mill plot with no freshening ingredients keep this at bay. Imagine if A.I. wrote this script and what it came up with?
The film is rather concise, yet dumb and formulaic. Foster seems to be enjoying his role as a vigilante of sorts, despite us needing more depth to understand why he cares for his family and the folks in his workshop. Danny Trejo almost comes across as a white knight of sorts, even though one might wish he’d gotten more screentime. The list continues.
The film is merely acceptable, so it doesn’t wreck your appetite. But The Wrecker can only do so much to wreck before you realize it’s best to have fun somewhere else.
The Wrecker releases in theaters on October 31, 2025. Trailer available below:
