REVIEW: Survive The Night (2020)

Run Time: 90 Mins
Rated: R
What To Expect: Good for a Willis VOD’er – but this is not saying much

Who can keep track of what Walter_B has been filming in the 21st century?  I wonder if even Bruce Willis himself can remember much of the movies he has been in.  Another one has been released, again another LionsGate hip-fired VOD’er with nameless faces and a 90 minute run time.  Can a typical viewer survive another 90 minutes of depressing Bruce Willis sulking?  I sat through another Bruno Turkey, time for the verdict.

Willis plays Frank, a retired sheriff of 35 years who lives in a picturesque country farm house.  Retirement for Frank is interrupted when disgraced son Rich (Chad Michael Murray) shows up to stay indefinitely, having been stricken from the medical sector for botching an operation.  Frank looks down his nose at Rich and resents his presence.  No time for father/son angst though, as two F-list actors show up, one shot, after a botched store robbery.  They hold the family hostage, forcing the doctor to operate.  But can they… Survive the Night?

Usually in these movies, Willis shows up for 10 minutes, sighs out some dialogue with total contempt then leaves.  This movie is somewhat different, with Willis appearing in the entire movie and putting in a moderately decent acting performance.  This is probably because Willis is playing a scornful and contemptuous man, tired and sick of his current circumstances… in other words, method acting.  It’s almost like we the viewers are Willis’ sons, and he is looking down his nose at us in his grandpa’s chair over there in the corner.  This is somewhat unintentionally amusing, but few will care.

The film is better than most VODmit Willis has been guilty of, in that there are no crappy plot twists, over-direction by some greenhorn or missing in action lead actors.  But the whole thing is a bit trite and boring — things that look good on paper are here, but have ‘meh’ execution (such as a car chase involving Willis, a big pick up and a muscle car).  Count how many times the victims could’ve bludgeoned the interloping scrotum to death and sit there in modest frustration.

Hardcore Willis fans might want to ease lock down boredom with this, but under caution.  It’s below average.