According to English journalist Christopher Booker, there are only seven basic plots, but screenwriter Sylvester Stallone ("Rambo" and "Rocky") uses my favorite one (Overcoming the Monster). He gives us someone to root for and then puts that individual in jeopardy.

After establishing our hero's credibility as an undercover agent for an alphabet soup of agencies, this non-stop actioner gets started with a simple little case of grade-school bullying which results in a fist fight; the families quickly escalate the situation and from there on, the action rarely lets up.

We watch:

• * Jason Statham ("The Transporter") A mystified local cop thinks maybe Phil Broker is in the Witness Protection Program...or something. He clearly is NOT a run-of-the-mill local yokel in the small Southern hamlet where he and his daughter have settled.
• * Izabela Vidovic (Lots of TV) is his daughter Maddy, who, miracle of miracles, does NOT trip and fall when being chased, is resourceful and clever, and knows how to stick up for herself.
• * James Franco ("Oz the Great and Powerful") is Gator, a down-home bad boy with a hi-tech meth lab that will be his ticket to the big time.
• * Kate Bosworth ("Win a Date with Tad Hamilton!") is his sister, furious over that playground incident and dead set on revenge.
• * Wynona Ryder ("The Iceman") is Sheryl Mott, a foul-mouthed barmaid; she delivers a file to a powerful man who needs it then watches the whole violent catastrophe unfold.

This has a richly deserved R rating, so expect lots of profanity, broken bones and torture, many intervals of gunfire and drug use along with some highly  satisfying blowie uppie stuff. However, I hope you noticed that I said in the first paragraph "Overcoming the Monster" so that means a happy ending! Whew...