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The Commando (2022), directed by Asif Akbar, is an action-packed crime thriller that throws viewers into a chaotic clash of violence, family stakes, and psychological turmoil. Starring Michael Jai White as elite DEA agent James Baker and Mickey Rourke as the menacing ex-convict Johnny, the film attempts to blend high-octane action with a deeper exploration of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). With a supporting cast including Celina Jade, Jeff Fahey, and Brendan Fehr, The Commando promises a relentless ride but struggles to balance its ambitions with execution. This 1000-word review dives into the film’s strengths, weaknesses, and overall impact, analyzing its plot, performances, action sequences, and thematic depth while keeping SEO optimization in mind for movie enthusiasts searching for The Commando 2022 review, Michael Jai White action movies, or Mickey Rourke thriller films.

Plot Overview: A High-Stakes Home Invasion

The Commando centers on James Baker (Michael Jai White), a skilled DEA agent grappling with PTSD after a botched raid results in the accidental deaths of three hostages. Sent home to recover, Baker tries to reconnect with his wife, Lisa (Aris Mejías), and their two teenage daughters. Unbeknownst to them, their suburban home hides a secret: a $3 million stash of stolen money hidden by career criminal Johnny (Mickey Rourke) before his imprisonment. When Johnny is released, he and his ruthless crew, including the volatile Dominic (Gianni Capaldi), stage a brutal home invasion to reclaim the loot. As Baker’s family becomes collateral in Johnny’s quest, the stage is set for a violent showdown where Baker’s martial arts prowess and tactical skills are pushed to the limit.

The plot, while straightforward, taps into the home invasion thriller subgenre, a staple of action cinema that pits desperate criminals against a determined protector. However, the narrative stumbles with pacing issues and clichés, making it feel like a missed opportunity despite its intriguing premise. For fans searching for action-thriller movies 2022 or home invasion films, The Commando offers familiar tropes but struggles to stand out.

Performances: Michael Jai White Shines, Mickey Rourke Disappoints

Michael Jai White delivers the film’s standout performance as James Baker. Known for his martial arts expertise and roles in films like Spawn (1997) and Falcon Rising (2014), White brings authenticity to Baker’s physicality and emotional depth. His portrayal of a man haunted by PTSD is compelling, particularly in scenes where he wrestles with hallucinations and nightmares. White’s personal connection to the subject matter—having family members who are veterans with PTSD—adds a layer of sincerity to his performance, making Baker a relatable and humanized action hero. For viewers looking for Michael Jai White best movies, his work here is a highlight, even if the film doesn’t fully capitalize on his talents.

Mickey Rourke, on the other hand, is a letdown as the villain Johnny. Once a Hollywood icon, Rourke’s performance feels disengaged, with limited screen time that reduces him to an extended cameo. His scenes lack the menace needed to make Johnny a formidable antagonist, and his physical appearance—marked by cosmetic changes—distracts from the role. Critics have noted Rourke’s robotic movements and minimal dialogue, which diminish his impact. Fans searching for Mickey Rourke 2022 films may be disappointed by his lackluster presence compared to his more memorable roles in The Wrestler or Sin City.

The supporting cast, including Celina Jade as a family member (though not explicitly named in major reviews), is underutilized. Jeff Fahey’s brief role as a corrupt sheriff adds little to the narrative, while Brendan Fehr’s Sebastian is dispatched too quickly to make an impact. The young actresses playing Baker’s daughters struggle with wooden performances, which critics have called “fingernails on a chalkboard”. Overall, the ensemble fails to elevate the film beyond White’s efforts.

Action and Cinematography: Hits and Misses

For an action-thriller, The Commando delivers sporadic bursts of excitement but falters in consistency. The opening raid scene, featuring Baker’s DEA team storming a cartel’s drug lab, sets a promising tone with intense gunfire and martial arts choreography. Michael Jai White’s fight scenes, particularly in the third act, showcase his signature blend of karate and physicality, with a notable kickboxing-style bout against MMA fighter Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone. These moments cater to fans searching for martial arts action movies or Michael Jai White fight scenes.

However, the action is undermined by poor execution. Critics have pointed out shoddy cinematography, with shaky camera work and amateurish framing that detract from the intensity. The special effects, including CGI gunfire and blood sprays, feel cheap, and the sound design—described as “off and distant”—lacks polish. A particularly criticized moment involves a high schooler getting sH๏τ while urinating, spraying his killer, which is played for laughs but feels tonally jarring. The final confrontation between Baker and Johnny is disappointingly brief, with close-up sH๏τs suggesting the actors weren’t even in the same room.

Themes and Emotional Depth: PTSD Takes Center Stage

One of The Commando’s redeeming qualities is its attempt to explore PTSD, a topic rarely tackled in low-budget action films. Director Asif Akbar and co-writers Al Bravo and Koji Steven Sakai initially conceived the film as a straightforward home invasion thriller but shifted focus to highlight Baker’s psychological struggles and their impact on his family. This adds a layer of emotional resonance, as Baker’s trauma manifests in nightmares and hallucinations, making him a more complex protagonist. For audiences searching for movies about PTSD or action films with emotional depth, this aspect offers some value.

However, the execution feels heavy-handed, with PTSD scenes overused to pad the runtime rather than deepen the narrative. The film’s attempt to balance action and drama results in a talky, lethargic pace that critics have called “exhausting”. Subplots, such as the daughters’ house party and the involvement of minor characters, feel like filler, detracting from the main conflict.

Critical Reception: A Divisive B-Movie

The Commando has received largely negative reviews, with a 3.4/10 rating on IMDb and scathing critiques from outlets like The Guardian and Variety. The Guardian called it “nasty, brutish, and not-short-enough,” criticizing its reliance on home invasion clichés and implausible plot points, such as the criminals’ decision to invade during a party. Variety labeled it an “inept crime drama” with “banal dialogue” and a lack of visual style. However, some reviews, like WorldFilmGeek, praised its emotional depth and White’s performance, suggesting it redeems the actors’ previous collaboration in Take Back (2021).

For fans of B-action movies 2022 or low-budget thrillers, The Commando may still hold appeal due to its star power and occasional action highlights. However, its flaws—poor scripting, uneven pacing, and lackluster production values—make it a tough sell for general audiences.

Final Verdict: A Flawed but Watchable Action Flick

The Commando (2022) is a mixed bag that struggles to live up to its potential. Michael Jai White’s committed performance and the film’s exploration of PTSD are its strongest ᴀssets, offering moments of emotional and physical intensity. However, Mickey Rourke’s underwhelming presence, shoddy production values, and a predictable script hinder its impact. At 93 minutes, it feels longer than it should, with pacing issues and unnecessary subplots dragging it down.

For fans of Michael Jai White or those searching for action-thrillers with martial arts, The Commando delivers enough fisticuffs and gunplay to warrant a watch, especially on VOD platforms like Fandango at Home. However, those expecting a polished or innovative thriller may want to skip it. If you’re curious, check out the trailer before diving in—it condenses the film’s best moments into a minute.

Rating: 5/10
Where to Watch: Available on VOD, Digital, and in select theaters via Saban Films.
Search Keywords: The Commando 2022 review, Michael Jai White action movies, Mickey Rourke thriller films, home invasion thrillers, action-thriller movies 2022, movies about PTSD.

A Farmer’s Misplaced Hammer Led to the Largest Roman Treasure in Britain

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November 16, 1992 was the day which changed Suffolk-resident Eric Lawes’ life in a huge way. What he thought would have been an innocent search for a hammer he had misplaced on his farm in Hoxne Village, Suffolk, England ended up bringing him much more than he had bargained for — namely, uncovering the hiding spot of a long-hidden treasure. Based on the Guardian’s coverage of the story, Eric Lawes had been previously gifted a metal detector upon his retirement as a parting token. He decided to put his retirement gift to good use in order to locate the hammer which he had had some trouble finding. According to a 2018 Smithsonian Magazine article, when the device started recording that there was a strong signal coming from the earth, he knew that he was about to discover something big. As he started digging, it soon became clear to him that he had unearthed a treasure trove.

The Guardian reports that, when Lawes saw that his preliminary digging had yielded a few gold coins and silver spoons, he immediately contacted both the local archaeological society and the police department. Archaeologists came to the property the following day and had the area of earth holding the treasure carefully sectioned-off and removed. Their hope was that at a later stage, in their laboratory, they could examined the items in order to identify both their age and how they were stored.

When all was said and done, close to 60 pounds of items made from silver and gold were found on the site. These included more than 15,000 Roman coins, 200 gold objects, and several silver spoons. For archaeologists, this find — which later became labeled as the Hoxne Hoard — was an incredible discovery. AP News reported that archaeologist Judith Plouviez was over-the-moon about the discovery, saying that it was “an incredibly exciting and amazing find.” What’s more, another archaeologist, Rachel Wilkinson, told Smithsonian Magazine that this discovery was “the largest and latest ever found in Britain.”

Ordinarily, archaeologists would use radiocarbon dating as a means of identifying the age of ancient relics. However, they couldn’t locate any suitable material from the haul. Consequently, they determined the age by examining writing on the coins, as well as the ruler carved into them, estimating that the treasure was probably buried in either 408 or 409 AD.

Roman-era archaeologist Peter Guest told Smithsonian Magazine that “if you look at them a little more carefully, then they should be dated to the period after the separation of Britain from the Roman Empire.” He offers as part of his evidence the fact that almost all of the coins found in the Hoxne Hoard were clipped – in other words, small chunks of their edges had been taken off. These clippings would have been used to create coins which were similar to the Roman coins of that era.

Guest has a logical reason for this, arguing that “The Roman Empire wasn’t supplying Britain with new gold and silver coins, and in light of that, the population tried to get over this sudden cutoff in the supply of their precious metals by making the existing supplies go further.”

Archaeologists also believe that the treasure belonged to a Romano-British family. During that time, considering that there was so much societal discord and upheaval, it was common for Romans who had settled in Britain to bury their most prized possessions.

That said, one archaeologist is of the belief that the hoard had a lot of sentimental value for the Romano-British family to whom it is believed to have belonged. In her book The Hoxne Late Roman Treasure: Gold Jewellery and Silver Plate, Catherine Johns claims that the manner in which the treasure was kept supported this claim. Some of the items which were recovered had been packaged in small, wooden boxes which were lined with leather. What’s more, pieces of wood, locks, and nails, among other things, surrounded the gold and silver pieces. This leads Catherine to assert that the package was carefully buried and not simply chucked away in a rush.

Interestingly enough, the items unearthed might shed some light on the identity of the family who owned them. They cite a gold bracelet bearing the inscription “UTERE FELIX DOMINA IULIANE,” which roughly translates to “use this happily Lady Juliane”. A second name “Aurelius Ursicinus” has also been discovered. This has consequently led some to believe that Juliane and Aurelius were the couple and the original owners of the treasure. That said, that has yet to be confirmed.

All in all, the discovery was a real treasure for archaeologists, and by extension, for Lawes. According to Smithsonian Magazine, in recognition of his discovery and willingness to contact authorities, the British government rewarded him with over £1.7 million, an amount which he shared with the farmer whose land was dug out in order to get the treasure. Funnily enough, apart from the treasure, Lawes also found his lost hammer — which now resides in the British Museum.