‘The war isn’t over. It’s just starting.’
Fortress: Sniper’s Eye is a 2022 American action thriller that revolves around a top-secret resort for retired U.S. intelligence officers. The movie is a sequel to Fortress and forms the second part of an intended trilogy.
Directed by Josh Sternfeld (Amy Makes Three; Meskada; Winter Solstice) from a screenplay written by Alan Horsnail based on a storyline by Emile Hirsch and Randall Emmett.
The movie stars Bruce Willis (Apex; Deadlock; Midnight in the Switchgrass; Out of Death; Hard Kill; Cosmic Sin; Breach; Glass; Die Hard franchise).
Also starring Jesse Metcalfe (Hard to Kill; Dead Rising: Endgame; Dead Rising: Watchtower), Chad Michael Murray (Survive the Game; Ted Bundy: American Boogeyman; Camp Cold Brook; House of Wax), Kelly Greyson, Ser’Darius Blain, Michael Sirow (Survive the Game; Out of Death; Jeepers Creepers 3; The Midnight Man), Welker White and Natali Yura.
Our review:
Fortress was one of the better low budget flicks that Bruce Willis made during the final stage of his career as his aphasia made it harder for him to perform his lines. Sadly, there’s some dubbing of a few of his lines here.
Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for its sequel which almost immediately switches from the Russian nastiness that kicks the film off in an expected manner into domestic drama and banal dialogue about the weather soon after. Although the director switched from James Cullen Bressack to Josh Sternfeld, the screenwriter is still Alan Horsnail so such a major change in tone is inexplicable. It’s clear that the intention here is more psychological than physical action – despite a few altercations and a brief quad bike chase – but that’s not what its intended audience will appreciate.
Sniper’s Eye (this title makes no sense) constantly feels like it’s a film treading water and its 97 minutes length hardly helps matters because some of that is simply action-filled flashbacks from the first movie. It was expected that Bruce Willis wouldn’t do much and for much of the film, he’s tied up in a chair. Fair enough. Yet, when the assault on the complex finally kicks in – “deja vu, Robert? – it’s never as entertaining despite Chad Michael Murray having obvious fun again as the villain. We can only hope the third part of the trilogy is better but based on this one things don’t bode well.
Adrian J Smith, MOVIES and MANIA
Other reviews:
“There’s only so much domestic drama and awkward romantic dialogue you can shove in a film like this before the audience loses interest. Along with that Fortress: Sniper’s Eye is a very predictable film as characters act exactly the way you expect they will […] Almost all of the action takes place off screen.” 1.5/5 stars Voices from the Balcony
Release date:
In the USA, Fortress: Sniper’s Eye will be released by Lionsgate theatrically in select locations and on Digital and On-Demand (VOD) on April 29, 2022 via Amazon Prime. Blu-ray and DVD releases will follow on June 7, 2022.
Cast and characters:
Bruce Willis … Robert
Chad Michael Murray … Balzary
Jesse Metcalfe … Paul
Ser’Darius Blain … Ulysses
Kelly Greyson
Natalie Burn … Sandra
Natali Yura … Sasha
Alyssa Julya Smith … Ellen
Welker White … Carole
Gabrielle Haugh … Zoe
Celeste Fianna … Annette
Michael Sirow … Ken Blain
Larken Woodward … Janice
Kaleina Cordova … Ava
Adam Huel Potter … Bristow
Jake Ellenz … Assistant
Daniel L. Murphy … Sting
Leonardo Castro … Madris
Trailer:
