Story: Rex (Bruce Willis) has brought in the best of the best to carry out a crucial bank heist, though of course, any operation has its risks. While Rex is thrilled to have Frank (Michael Chiklis) running point on the heist, he is concerned about some of the other members of the inside crew. The assault on the bank starts off smoothly, as each squad carries out their tasks as instructed, but then an unexpected turn of events throws the entire heist into chaos. As the robbery falls apart, the cops arrive, and the bullets start to fly, Rex manages to rereat intact, alongside his brother. But then he is knocked out during the escape and while he knows his brother has been killed, he can’t remember what happened in the ten minutes after he was ambushed. Can Frank track down the truth and avenge his brother, or is in over his head in this questionable operation?

Entertainment Value: A bank heist gone sideways tale, 10 Minutes Gone is an action/thriller that tries to weave in a lot of twists, turns, and betrayals, but the movie never builds much steam and even for the direct to video market, fails to do much to stand out from the crowd. I know having Bruce Willis on the artwork helps 10 Minutes Gone somewhat in that regard, but once the film begins, this is just another forgettable action movie. The story is passable, if well worn, as a failed bank heist leads to one of the crooks chasing down everyone else involved, trying to pin the blame on someone, but it is all stuff we have seen time and again. I don’t mind that, but throw in some fresh twists or an interesting backdrop or just polish the cliches to a fine shine, but 10 Minutes Gone hopes the star power of Willis and Michael Chiklis will be enough to please viewers. Some of the action is fun to watch and there is some b movie appeal here, just not enough. The pace is fine and the movie is very kinetic, so it isn’t dull, just not memorable. So if you’re a devoted Bruce Willis fan or you just have to explore direct to video action flicks, 10 Minutes Gone isn’t the worst option out there.

Bruce Willis and Michael Chiklis in the same movie? That kind of bald alliance is the stuff of legends and in truth, what prompted me to watch 10 Minutes Gone. As it turns out however, while both are here in prominent roles, the two share mere seconds of screen time. So a lot of phone calls and such, but same place, same time performances are limited to a single scenes. Which is a shame, as I’d love to see Willis and Chiklis banter or even have a fight scene, though by this point in their careers, even a light tussle was unlikely. Even so, Bruce is more active in this one than most of his projects from around this time and even draws his gun from time to time. Willis is not the main character here, but instead part of a larger set of primary characters, so he isn’t pushed too much and as expected, he doesn’t show a lot of energy or enthusiasm here. Chiklis is fun to watch, intensity at high volume as always and he carries a lot of the better stretches in 10 Minutes Gone. I just wish we could have seen more of a clash between our bald action stars. The cast also includes Meadow Williams, Tyler Jon Olson, Texas Battle, and Lydia Hull, most of which will be familiar to fans of Willis’ direct to video work.

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