Amazon.com: Contraband: Mark Wahlberg, Kate Beckinsale, Ben Foster, Giovani Ribisi: Amazon Instant Video

Contraband

A reformed smuggler (Mark Wahlberg) must pull off one last run to protect his family. This action thriller about the cutthroat world of smuggling is "dynamic, intense and gritty!" - Mark S Allen, CBS/CW-TV (Sacramento)

Starring: Mark Wahlberg, Kate Beckinsale
Directed by: Baltasar Kormakur
Runtime: 1 hour 50 minutes
Release year: 2012
Studio: Universal Pictures

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Synopsis: A reformed smuggler (Mark Wahlberg) must pull off one last run to protect his family. This action thriller about the cutthroat world of smuggling is "dynamic, intense and gritty!" - Mark S Allen, CBS/CW-TV (Sacramento)

Starring: Mark Wahlberg, Kate Beckinsale

Supporting actors: Ben Foster, Giovani Ribisi, Lukas Haas, Caleb Landry Jones, Diego Luna, J.K. Simmons

Directed by: Baltasar Kormákur

Genre: Action, Crime, Drama, Thriller

Runtime: 1 hour 50 minutes

Captions and Subtitles: Details

Release year: 2012

Studio: Universal Pictures

MPAA Rating: Rated R for violence, pervasive language and brief drug use

ASIN: B007RFJ4QM

Rights & Requirements

Purchase rights: Stream instantly and download to 2 locations. Details

Format: Amazon Instant Video (streaming online video and digital download)

Customer Reviews

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63 of 71 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars Good for Wahlberg fans March 6, 2012

By Dr. James Gardner VINE™ VOICE

Format:DVD

"Contraband" is a 2011 action film starring Mark Wahlberg as a former smuggler reluctantly drawn back into the game for one last score, this time to help his brother-in-law (Caleb Landry Jones) who got in too deep with the bad guys (Giovanni Ribisi).

For the past few years Wahlberg has been cranking out the action films at a pace that truly amazes. He's been nominated twice for an Oscar ("The Fighter" in 2010 and "The Departed" in 2006) and recognized for "Three Kings" (1999), and "Four Brothers" (2005), although my favorite Wahlberg role (and guilty pleasure) "Shooter" (2007) has been ignored on the awards circuit.

If his awards were not sufficient praise, Wahlberg has delivered at the box office. Seven of his films have neared or topped the elusive $100 Million mark, and most of his films have been among the top 10.

And if awards and box office clout aren't enough, Wahlberg has a second career as a producer, a role he served on this film and on Oscar nominated "The Fighter" (2010) as well as several TV series ("Broadwalk Empire", "Entourage").

Unfortunately, Wahlberg is about the best thing in this film, apart from some good action scenes with lots of explosions and a coy performance from J. K. Simmons who apparently got time off from his role as the Police Chief in "The Closer".

Perhaps the problem is with the writers (Aaron Guzikowski, Arnaldur Indrioason, Oskar Jonasson) and director (Baltasar Kormakur), none of whom have much experience with American style action films. But they worked on an Icelandic thriller "Reykjavik-Rotterdam" (2008) and that film was the basis of this one. Or, more likely, the problem is that the villain, Giovanni Ribisi, simply carries no menace.... Read more ›

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48 of 54 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Completely underrated movie April 25, 2012

By D

Format:Blu-ray

Considering the fact that there are not many reviews about this movie yet, I was surprised that there have been no 5 stars yet. Now I am a picky person and have watched my share of movies so very rarely will I give a movie a 5 star unless it grabs me and I am on the edge of my seat. This one grabbed my attention from start to finish. It reminds me a lot of the Italian Job. Just when you think you know what is going on in the movie, it slaps you in the face and takes you in a different direction. The movie kept me on the edge of my seat the whole time and part of liking a movie is how the movie ends. Some movies are great all the way through until the ending. Some end the way it should, while some end in the way it shouldn't. I thought this ending fit well and I was pleased. So my advice to you, is if you like Italian Job you will like this. It's just hard for me to understand why someone would give this movie anything less than a 4 star.

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21 of 23 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars This WAS a good movie April 28, 2012

By Renee Pruett

Format:Amazon Instant Video|Amazon Verified Purchase

Pooh on all the negative reviews when this is up against Tom Cruise and his predictable Mission Implausable installment. Other than the too-stupid-to-believe incident when Kate Beckinsale meets up with some plastic, this is a good movie. Because it offers characters like Ribisi, Caleb Landry Jones (who was outstanding), Ben Foster (also very good), and David O'Hara in a mix of bad guys that doesn't seem normal, it still works. There are lots of unexpected turns. Ribisi is a different bad guy. Creepier than most, but less violent than most. It's not a typical action film because the writers and director of this film are not American. I loved it.

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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Not sure about the sour reviews..... July 9, 2012

By R. Tubbs

Format:Blu-ray

I watched this movie over the weekend. My review would only add to those who walked away liking this flick. Even my wife who cannot stand action/suspense loved this movie. She said the suspense was killing her...LOL!

The movie had many twists and turns. Wahlbergs character (Chris Farraday) simply did not want to get pulled back into a life of crime again, but at each turn you can feel him get pulled deeper and deeper into it.

Acting may not have been the best, but this movie definitely keeps you interested until the end. Its not really a full on action movie. It is a part action part suspense movie. The combination works throughout.

Not sure how folks give this a low rating. If you do not like suspense and action...why even bother watching.

Another good movie from Wahlberg.

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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful

2.0 out of 5 stars Started out OK, then got stupid. May 1, 2012

By Adam J. Brown

Format:Amazon Instant Video|Amazon Verified Purchase

The title says it all. Hoped that this movie would at least be entertaining, and it was at first. Then all the cliches, and miraculous stunts became too much.

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5 of 6 people found the following review helpful

2.0 out of 5 stars Stiff And Forgettable May 7, 2012

By Vlad Troyanker

Format:Amazon Instant Video

2 stars. The amazon crowd has got it right. This is clearly a hastily made money flick. I was surprised to read about great acting and "gritty" feel. There is no grit whatsoever in Contraband. In fact I abandoned the movie about 15 min before the end, exactly because there was no engagement or grit. There are few things which are working against calling this a good movie:

1. Boring dialogs. I guess nobody read the script or what? 50% of all dialogs are different characters asking Wahlberg how he is going to pull off his smuggling. He always responds something like "have faith in me". The other 50% is Wahlberg invariably asking for more time when on the phone with his accomplices.

2. No attention to details. This is the primary reason why this movie has zero grit. They are pulling their stunts in hot and humid Panama City. Yet nobody is even break a sweat.

Overall, instead of spending money on relatively expensive aerial shots, producers would have been better off spending on better script and actually waking up Mark Wahlberg. Because Mark looks very stiff in this movie. This is a borderline flick which could have gone straight to DVD release bypassing big screen.

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5.0 out of 5 stars Love it

Mark Wahlberg is a awesome actor not to mention his body is lovely. Watched this movie with my boyfriend and it was great.

Published 19 days ago by Kristie M. Ward

5.0 out of 5 stars We love it

My best friend n i love love this movies and she told me to buy it because I would like it and she was right I loved it

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