
Wrong Place (2022) Review
The last of Bruce Willis’ films continue to trickle out, and the most recent one to come my way is Wrong Place, which reunites Willis with music supervisor turned director Mike Burns and writer Bill Lawrence, the team responsible for Out of Death. I won’t blame you if you give up on it after reading that.
Frank (Bruce Willis, Vendetta, Marauders) was a police chief, now he’s a security guard. But when we first see him he’s still a cop. He and his wife Maggie (Lauren McCord, Fortress, Out of Death) are drunkenly discussing their daughter Chloe (Ashley Greene, One Shot, Twilight) being diagnosed with cancer. On the way home from their wine-soaked dinner he swerves to avoid a deer on the road. I’m sure you can guess the rest.

A year later, he steps outside for a smoke break just in time to see Virgil (Massi Furlan, Amazon Queen, Live by Night) about to put a bullet in Leon (Adam Huel Potter, Hard Kill, Breach). Personally, I’m all for letting meth dealers kill each other off, but he intervenes and Virgil ends up in jail. This doesn’t sit well with his son Jake (Michael Sirow, Survive the Game, Primal) who wants revenge. Of course, this happens right before Chloe comes home for a visit.
Burns and Lawrence load Wrong Place up with a seemingly endless supply of cliches that are supposed to serve as a plot. It’s another movie that feels like it was put together from a list of plot elements rather than an actual story. And that extends to the subplots, the rift between Virgil and Jake. The differences between Frank and Captain East (Texas Battle, Blowback, Final Destination 3), the man who replaced him. And of course, Virgil’s gun wasn’t found, casting doubt on Frank’s story.

Most insulting though is the way Wrong Place’s script tries to make us feel bad for Frank. After all his breathalyzer came back barely over the limit, the fact that he was still drunk enough to turn his wife into BBQ is a mere detail. It’s amazing he bounced back from what he went through.
After we wade through all of this and make it to the film’s halfway mark, Wrong Place finally gets around to remembering it’s supposed o be a thriller and Jake takes Chloe and her girlfriend hostage. Unfortunately Jake is such an absolute fuck up it’s hard to take him seriously as a villain, even when his stupidity, such as forgetting to put his mask back on and letting people see his face, puts people in even more jeopardy.

It’s the same problem I talked about in my review of Pact of Vengeance a couple of days ago. An action film or thriller needs a serious threat to be effective. When the villain is clearly no threat to the hero there’s no threat and the movie is dull. That’s why Arnold had to fight Predators and Martians and Rambo had to face off against entire armies. Wrong Place gives us an idiot who keeps getting beat up and maced by Chloe. They might as well have cast Willie E. Coyote.
Everyone stumbles about in the woods for the last half hour. People we think are dead turn up still alive with a couple of exceptions that won’t surprise anyone. Wrong Place ends on a note that is supposed to be sentimental but most viewers will be overjoyed that it’s finally over. If they’re not nauseated at how contrived it feels. I know bashing these films is like shooting fish in a barrel, but Wrong Place is awful, even by late-career Willis standards.
Vertical Entertainment will debut Wrong Place in select US theatres as well as on VOD and Digital platforms on July 15th.
so sad that he has not made a decent film in years,i have not watched a single movie of his since looper,these older actors are now thrown on the scrapheap much like a lot of women,i dont blame these student movies i blame bruce,his illness hasnt stopped him though it may in the future which is why hes stopped acting but truth be told he stopped about ten years ago.i would rather never see bruce or mel gibson on screen ever again if it is in these awful low budget badly written,acted school projects.
Please remember that Bruce was diagnosed with aphasia – a cruel mental disorder that robs one’s ability to communicate and understand others. That he’s trying to provide for his family is a testament to him as a man and I don’t blame him for trying to bank all that he can – while he can. Give the guy a little latitude, OK?
Yes, after years of getting million dollar paydays for a couple of days’ work I’m sure he and his family were on the verge of starvation.
Right on. These days any movie with Bruce W. In it I just pass!
Does not the fool have enough money? Cashing out on a great career is a bad choice. He will now be remembered as TRASH. Enjoy the money A hole…
What a frikken morbid film. I feel miserable after watching it.
are you KIDDING me bruce willis??!!!!
this movie is the worst scripted and acted film ive ever seen.
This has got to be the worst movie I’ve ever bought. Bob’s Burgers has a better story line and acting than this and it sucks. Extremely disappointing for a Bruce Willis film. It’s a shame the 2 minute trailer was the best.
The movie was ok. Then midway Texas Battle started cracking jokes. They were mildly amusing. The problem was that he supposedly walked several miles in about an hour. That didn’t makes any sense. I like how the daughter was very tough and she definitely beat up the villain. The movie supports lesbianism. That was a new twist. The film needed a better script. The villain was so idiotic and a terrible actor. Willis was tough in this and he handled his scenes well. Recommended only for Die Hard Willis fans.
What was so bad about the movie ?
Aside from the obvious that this was a Bruce Willis movie, every actor in it was terrible – except maybe the store owner? I rented this movie on Xfinity because the Popcorn Bucket review said 92%!!! Fraudulent!!!!!! The movie rental was $7.99.
The movie description said “…Meth lab…” there was nothing about a meth lab! There was no plot to the movie. Nothing was fleshed out. He was a great cop, but no celebration when he died? She had cancer, but everything seemed fine? Were the girls more than friends??? Seemingly implied relationship.
After a bit of arguing with Xfinity about their fraudulent movie review being my reason to rent a $7.99 movie, they gave me a “one-time” refund! Excellent customer service.