You have used all your credits for this month. Please add more credits to continue.

by

Mark Wahlberg has had a diverse professional journey, starting off as a well-recognized figure in the music industry with Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch, and later making significant strides in comedy movies such as “Ted,” “Daddy’s Home,” and “The Family Plan.” Yet, he has also demonstrated his versatility by portraying both virtuous and ruthless characters in action films. Interestingly, these two action movies have placed him in a strong position on the Starz streaming platform, despite receiving unfavorable reviews from critics.

Leading the films on Starz currently is “” – a Mel Gibson-directed edge-of-your-seat thriller that casts Wahlberg as an uncommon villain, portraying a bald hitman who’s determined to stop a witness from testifying against a powerful mob boss. The movie premiered in January and garnered $44 million at the box office, more than double its production budget of $22 million. Despite pleasing audiences, the film received a 30% rating on Rotten Tomatoes’ Tomatometer, with critics stating that its “exciting mindless entertainment” was perhaps too much for its own good. This sentiment is echoed by Matt Hudson from the Bloody Awesome Movie Podcast, who wrote:

When it’s Mark Wahlberg’s hair that grabs your attention the most, you’re probably not in for a successful outcome.

Nevertheless, Flight Risk hasn’t lost its appeal on its new streaming platform, Starz. In fact, it has been paired with one of Wahlberg’s earlier action thrillers, Contraband (2017), which currently ranks second on the chart as part of a Wahlberg twin-bill.

Mark Wahlberg’s ‘Contraband’ Has Infiltrated Streaming Charts

Regardless of whether a movie received mixed reviews from critics and audiences alike, it’s almost certain that it will attract viewers once it debuts on a new streaming platform like Starz, thanks to promotions such as notifications and banner ads. This film is an example of such a movie, as despite its divided reception, it remains popular on its new platform, Starz.

Back in 2012, much like how a simple mention of “Flight Risk” could lure audiences to theaters, Mark Wahlberg’s star power was more than enough to fill cinemas when “Contraband” hit screens. Despite a modest $25 million budget, this action flick raked in an impressive $96 million globally. Remarkably, it outperformed its 50% Tomatometer score and 56% Popcornmeter rating, demonstrating that box office success isn’t always directly tied to critical acclaim. The film boasted an array of accomplished actors including Kate Beckinsale, Ben Foster, J.K. Simmons, Lukas Haas, and the young Diego Luna who would later become a household name with his role in “Star Wars.” However, some viewers found the plotline to be unsurprisingly predictable, offering little that was fresh or innovative.

In essence, since it’s an action film, what mattered most was delivering enough thrilling moments to captivate viewers. Despite this, it garnered a rather unfavorable review with the general sentiment being:

However, putting it differently, this film focused primarily on providing ample action sequences to keep its audience engaged. Yet, it earned itself a less than flattering assessment, as suggested by the overall critical consensus of:

While it’s more exciting than a typical January action movie, its lack of fresh ideas and overly complex storyline can’t be overlooked.

One viewer from Oaklee D provided an insight into the film’s success at the box office. They commented, “The movie follows the typical formula for a Mark Wahlberg action film.” Many action actors, including Jason Statham, Dolph Lundgren, and Bruce Willis before his retirement, have built long careers by producing movies that offer fights, shootouts, and plots that don’t require deep thought. Wahlberg fits right in among these action stars, as he’s become known for making commonplace films into box office successes.

Currently, enthusiasts can savor a twin bill of “Flight Risk” and “Contraband” on Starz, allowing them to watch two of Wahlberg’s contentious yet extremely popular, adrenaline-pumping action movies sequentially.

Read More

2025-05-28 03:05