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Edinburgh Live
16-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Edinburgh Live
Little-known thriller with huge star but Netflix fans have only days to watch
Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info Chris Pine fans need to act fast to catch their favourite actor in the midst of some high-octane action, as The Contractor is set to depart from Netflix on June 5. Released in 2022, the action thriller marks Tarik Saleh's English-language directorial debut, with a screenplay penned by J. The film boasts an all-star cast, including Ben Foster, Gillian Jacobs, Kiefer Sutherland, J.D. Pardo, Florian Munteanu, and Eddie Marsan, alongside Pine. The Contractor reunites Chris Pine and Ben Foster for the first time since their critically acclaimed 2016 film Hell or High Water. Although some critics felt the reunion was undeserving of the duo's talents, one reviewer wrote: "Pine and Foster sync up flawlessly, even when the dialogue fails them. This isn't the reunion they deserve, but it's nevertheless welcome.", reports the Daily Record. In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Pine discussed how he convinced Foster to join The Contractor: ""[Hell or High Water] was such a special experience, and I don't think any of us wanted to tamper with it. For me, at least, I'd be very proud of my filmography if [Hell or High Water] was it for me as an actor. (Image: Handout) "So it didn't look like [The Contractor] was going to work out, but I basically pleaded with Ben to make it work. And for what is on the page - which is probably not as expansive or interesting a part as what he played in Hell or High Water - Ben was able to ... expand it and unpack it so it becomes something really thriving and three-dimensional." The Contractor tells the gripping tale of Sergeant First Class James Harper, a highly-decorated U.S. Special Forces Green Beret forced out of service after failing a drug test - a result of taking steroids to treat his chronic knee pain. Faced with financial hardship and the need to support his family, Harper connects with an old pal, Mike, who entices him to join a private military company led by a former colleague, Rusty Jennings. A double-cross on a mission leaves Harper with no way back to his loved ones, setting off a nail-biting chain of events peppered with action-packed scenes. Despite its intrigue, The Contractor didn't hit the mark at the box office, scraping together just around $2.1 million globally, with audience and critical opinions split down the middle. One critic said: "While his character is intended to be lost and powerless, Pine seems adrift in another way, too – a star without a proper star vehicle." (Image: Publicity Picture) Meanwhile, a different reviewer offered a more positive take on the film: "There's a tense, tightly constructed thriller here - and Chris Pine makes a decent play as a neo-Bourne." Another added: "There's something comfortingly unflashy about The Contractor: the action isn't earth-shatteringly exciting, but it's clearly shot, with enough jolts of vitality to keep the plot spinning." The film received a lukewarm reception from critics, with one saying: "The Contractor is one more generic action flick with a story borrowed directly from the formulaic Hollywood closet, without any surprises or even high entertainment levels." However, audience opinions were divided, with one reviewer praising the film: "I thought this was a solid movie. It starts off a little slow but the story is really good and the cast does a great job with the acting. Chris Pine is perfect for this role and does a great job as well as Ben Foster." A fan of Chris Pine said: "One of the highlights of Chris Pine," while another viewer was less impressed, writing: "The on-the-move action thriller is all built up, as The Contractor fails to take the time to breathe and leaves many aspects of the story that it desperately wants to have a say on - feeling empty. Overall, it's anticlimactic." Some viewers thoroughly enjoyed the film, with one saying: "Really enjoyed this movie. Not sure what the critics are as per usual, they were wrong. Pine and Foster are great together." They also praised Pine, saying: "Pine is one of the more underrated actors today. This story is super intriguing. I like how they didn't drag it out. It was very to the point. This movie shows some of the realities of war and life itself. Great action, highly recommend." On the other hand, another viewer was underwhelmed: "Just meh. Plot holes galore. Decent acting but the narrative just doesn't make sense. Nice action sequences. Wouldn't recommend". The Contractor leaves Netflix on June 5.
Daily Record
16-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Record
Fans have just days to watch action film hailed as 'highlight' of heartthrob's career
The 2022 action thriller sees the much-awaited reunion of two huge Hollywood stars — but fans only have days left to catch the movie as it leaves Netflix till June 5. Chris Pine fans only have a few days left to catch their favourite star bang in the midst of some thrilling action, as The Contractor is all set to leave Netflix on June 5. The 2022 action thriller sees Tarik Saleh making his English-language directorial debut. With a screenplay written by J. P. Davis, The Contractor stars Ben Foster, Gillian Jacobs, Kiefer Sutherland, J. D. Pardo, Florian Munteanu, and Eddie Marsan, alongside Pine. Chris Pine and Ben Foster reunite in The Contractor for the first time since their critically acclaimed 2016 film Hell or High Water, however some felt the reunion was undeserving of them, with one critic writing: 'Pine and Foster sync up flawlessly, even when the dialogue fails them. This isn't the reunion they deserve, but it's nevertheless welcome.' Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter about getting Foster on board The Contractor, Pine said: ''[Hell or High Water] was such a special experience, and I don't think any of us wanted to tamper with it. For me, at least, I'd be very proud of my filmography if [Hell or High Water] was it for me as an actor. "So it didn't look like [The Contractor] was going to work out, but I basically pleaded with Ben to make it work. And for what is on the page — which is probably not as expansive or interesting a part as what he played in Hell or High Water — Ben was able to … expand it and unpack it so it becomes something really thriving and three-dimensional.' The Contractor follows the story of Sergeant First Class James Harper, a decorated U.S. Special Forces Green Beret who is involuntarily discharged from the US Army after he tests positive for steroids — medication he happened to be taking to manage his chronic knee injury. As he struggles to find his feet financially and in a desperate bid to provide for his family, James Harper reconnects with his old friend Mike and gets recruited into a private military organisation that's led by Rusty Jennings — a former Special Forces operative. After being betrayed during a mission, Harper eventually finds himself unable to return to his family. What follows is a series of twists and turns, dotted with pockets of action. The Contractor was a box-office dud, having grossed approximately $2.1 million worldwide, and received mixed reviews from critics and audiences alike. One critic wrote: 'While his character is intended to be lost and powerless, Pine seems adrift in another way, too – a star without a proper star vehicle.' While another reviewer said of the movie: 'There's a tense, tightly constructed thriller here — and Chris Pine makes a decent play as a neo-Bourne.' Another reviewer said: 'There's something comfortingly unflashy about The Contractor: the action isn't earth-shatteringly exciting, but it's clearly shot, with enough jolts of vitality to keep the plot spinning.' And one critic said: 'The Contractor is one more generic action flick with a story borrowed directly from the formulaic Hollywood closet, without any surprises or even high entertainment levels.' Audience reviews were a mixed-bag as well, with one viewer saying: 'I thought this was a solid movie. It starts off a little slow but the story is really good and the cast does a great job with the acting. Chris Pine is perfect for this role and does a great job as well as Ben Foster.' One ardent Chris Pine fan said: 'One of the highlights of Chris Pine,' while another audience review read: 'The on-the-move action thriller is all built up, as The Contractor fails to take the time to breathe & leaves many aspects of the story that it desperately wants to have a say on — feeling empty. Overall, it's anticlimactic.' One viewer only had positive things to say: 'Really enjoyed this movie. Not sure what the critics are as per usual, they were wrong. Pine and Foster are great together. "Pine is one of the more underrated actors today. This story is super intriguing. I like how they didn't drag it out. It was very to the point. This movie shows some of the realities of war and life itself. Great action, highly recommend.' While another wasn't left too impressed: 'Just meh. Plot holes galore. Decent acting but the narrative just doesn't make sense. Nice action sequences. Wouldn't recommend'
