Lessons For an Assassin (2001)

With a $100 million budget and Tom Cruise in the lead role, Lessons for an Assassin would have been a kick-butt action thriller, despite the whimsical logic that sometimes overshadows the good stuff. (For example, Gavin really hates being held captive, so why would they give him live ammunition in his automatic weapons during pistol training?) As it is, Michael Bay isn't directing, and Cruise is employed elsewhere, so we're left with Robert Vitelli, who does OK, but the petulant surfer dude stuff goes on for too long and makes him dislikeable. Shannon Lee, who looks a wee bit like Catherine Zeta-Jones in a little-sisterly sort of way, fares well, but trading on dad's Bruce Lee martial artistry is a stretch -- she was four when he died, so it's not like he ever taught her those moves. The fights are phony, the staging is flat and the acting is campy, but that surprise ending is pretty good. Worth a rental? Only if you have seen everything else in the store and are hard up for some stiff chop-socky action. ~ Buzz McClain, All Movie Guide