Traffik

When I left the theater I tried to think of something positive to say about "Traffik", a banal 'slasher' flick now in theaters. But I couldn't. The screenplay is hackneyed, the script is awful and the acting ranges from average (Omar Epps) to below (Paula Patton). "Traffik" just doesn't have much going for it, but I went to the first matinee which is low-priced where I go.

John and Brea are in love. He rents a mountain retreat hoping for a romantic getaway for the two, but, wouldn't you know it, a biker gang shows up to cause trouble (don't you hate it when that happens?). The story plods along without benefit of tension or suspense and the bikers are involved in an uninteresting sex trafficking ring - international, no less. But I had long since lost interest. If you go, see the early show - it's cheaper.

So much more than what I was expecting. If you saw the trailer to this movie, not only does it barely scrape the surface of what's going on but it's a little misleading to what the film is really about. It's not the best movie in the world, as it's a little too obviously being used as a vehicle for Paula Patton (who also produced it) to show how well she can do in the driver's seat as a leading lady, but the overall direction it's heading down was very satisfying to see.

I have read most of the reviews on here which led me to fall in the middle. I agree not worth the 7.4 it has but the subject manner and story is important to tell. There is more human trafficking in the US than most would believe. Women are over sexualized and that has become the norm, part of our culture, and too easily accepted. The biggest problem I had with this film was just that. The tight clothing, unnecessary sex scenes, the male friend of the lead character (Omar Epps) is a womanizing pig. Also, whomever was the makeup artist n this needs be reprimanded for the overuse of blush on Paula Patton's character, Brea. I found it distracting and kept wondering what was wrong with her face. In a story of this nature the over the top sexualized details are in bad taste. They should of stuck to the basics and the true nature of this despicable industry. In the end it all fell a bit short.

This is at best a b-movie and there is no way that it would receive the user rating is has. If you watch the movie it will be obvious the rating has been manipulated. At best its 4 / 10.

Traffik was one of those random Netflix bedtime movies that I went into with no expectations nor quite frankly any knowledge of. They usually end badly, this didn't.

Starring Paula "Warcraft" Patton, Omar Epps, Roselyn "Boat Trip" Sanchez and Luke "Bros" Goss this nifty little thriller doesn't exactly break any new ground but is perfectly watchable stuff.

It tells the story of a couple who go for a weekend away in a luxury secluded cabin. They find themselves targets of a local biker gang who seem to think the couple of a very valuable phone full of incriminating information.

Again this isn't exactly original stuff but it's well made and that counts for a lot. Patton was excellent here and further demonstrating that she's a criminally underrated actress in Hollywood, while the rest of the cast are generally passable.

One of my favorite actors William Fichtner is also on the roster but in a disappointingly small role, certainly don't watch this exclusively for him or you'll be sorely let down by his lack of presence.

Full of modern "Cool" music I found that one of the weakest things about the movie, and beyond that feel that once everything in the movie is revealed the movie length just doesn't do it justice. I think an additional half an hour, maybe even an hour could have made this a very memorable film.

Regardless I quite enjoyed this, it's a perfectly watchable thriller marred by a fair few flaws but saved by a combination of ambition and Patton.

The Good:

Paula Patton and Roselyn Sanchez

The Bad:

Some unforgivably bad sound editing

Awful soundtrack