‘Your Move’ DVD Review
Stars: Luke Goss, Robert Davi, Patricia De Leon, David Fernandez Jr., Jeanette Samano, Luis Gatica, Alain Mora, Barbarella Pardo, Denitza García, Tonya Bordeaux, Zokai Holmes, Laura Martin, Jordan Simkovic, Mopar Murray | Written and Directed by Luke Goss
Former pop star turned actor Luke Goss has had an interesting post-pop career, carving his own path in Hollywood, appearing in a number of action movies since his star-making turn in Blade 2. He has put in some great performances in a bevy of direct-to-market action movies (in particular the two Death Race sequels); and that’s despite any shortcomings said movies may have had! Though to be fair Goss’ schtick: smouldering good looks and a quiet demeanour, hiding a hard man of action hero proportions – goes a LONG way in these types of genre films.
However with Your Move, Goss not only appears in front of the camera as the films star, but he also parlays his experiences on a myriad of low-budget film sets turning writer AND director for Your Move, an action- packed revenge thriller which also stars Robert Davi (Die Hard), Patricia De Leon (Bad Ass), and David Fernandez Jr. (End of Watch). Goss plays David, a successful New York businessman who, while on a video call with his wife and child in Mexico, witnesses their brutal attack and kidnapping. Unable to rely on the country’s law enforcement, he embarks on a journey to find his family and avenge the violence that befell them…
Despite a slow start, which is held together by a fantastic performance from the ever-reliable but frequently underused Robert Davi, Your Move eventually moves into nasty “Death Wish-esque” revenge-movie territory in its second half as David realises his frustration in the legal system and takes matters into his own hands. It’s an effective change of pace and keeps the film from wallowing in the more traditional kidnap/rescue film doldrums. Think of it as Taken taken to more of a horrific extreme – David not only sets out to get his family back but he also relishes in the punishment and torture of their kidnapper. Punishment and torture which is more reminiscent of Hostel than Liam Neeson’s badass dad action franchise.
Your Move is, however, not without its issues. The biggest being the sound quality which, at times, is so bad it hampers the story and you may find yourself replaying part of the film to catch what is being said. The film also suffers from some poor characterisation and numerous plot holes – both of which, to be fair, are often synonymous with the genre anyway! Despite these flaws, Your Move is a solid debut for the first time filmmaker – visually Goss has an eye for action, you can see he’s spent his time on film sets learning from other directors. However there’s still a ways to go for Goss as a screenwriter, the script for this particular film doing nothing to stand out from a myriad of other similar revenge thrillers.
It’s safe to say that Luke Goss has already successfully made the transition from singer to actor and now, with Your Move, proves that acting is not his only forte. It will be interesting to see if his growth as director is, ultimately, as successful as his growth as an actor; thankfully this is a great, if flawed, starting point.
Your Move is avaiable on DVD now from Thunderbird Releasing.
