“Classified” is an underwhelming mess of clichés

Aaron Eckhart continues his trend of top-lining second-tier action flicks in “Classified” from Saban films. Roel Reiné directs the film from a script by Roel Reiné. Evan Shaw (Aaron Eckhart) is a CIA officer who has spent the last two decades alone in the field. He uses the “Help Wanted” section of the newspapers to get his orders from the agency.

Things take a turn, though, when his long-lost daughter Kacy Walker (Abigail Breslin), now a UK MI6 analyst, tracks him down to deliver shocking news: his CIA boss, Kevin Angler (Tim Roth), has been dead for years, and the division, long since shut down. Together, they set out to discover whose orders he’s been executing. As an avid film buff, I am okay with a low-budget actioner. If the script is mundane and the plot is clichéd, all I ask is that the film taps into the fun aspects of the plot and focuses on the action scenes.

Given what Roel Reiné accomplished with the film “Fistful of Vengeance,” I had some hopes for the film.  Sadly, from the opening scene, which is too bucolic to be accurate, the director takes the side of a latent tension that takes precedence over real “action. Eckhart’s hero wears a grimace that says I’m tired of playing roles like but determined to get that paycheck. The brooding tough guy persona doesn’t work this time around.

One-time Oscar nominee Abigail Breslin doesn’t fare much better. Instead of giving her character some moxie, she comes off as annoying. The argument could be that she’s a grown woman with “daddy issues,” and that was the purpose, but her chemistry with our lead is almost non-existent. The two previously worked together on the 2007 “No Reservations” film, where they had chemistry. However, after seeing this film, maybe their lack of chemistry is the Breslin accused Eckhart of “aggressive, demeaning and unprofessional” behavior on set.

Tim Roth’s portrayal essentially adheres to the stereotypical boss archetype and, akin to Eckhart, appears to be motivated primarily by financial incentives, failing to showcase his full potential. The remaining segments of the film exhibit a lack of coherence in tone, characterized by disruptive flashback sequences and unremarkable action scenes.

While it may not land on my ten worst yet, “Classified” is one even action movie purists can skip.

Final Grade: D+

“Classified” is available to buy or rent digitally tomorrow.