Bloodshot

THE GIST: A highly skilled special-ops soldier is killed by a ruthless thug. A secretive company with government connections, however, is able to reanimate him by infusing his body with special nanobots that give him super human abilities and allow his body to heal instantly. They also control his mind though, so what he thinks he knows might not actually be real.

Vin Diesel has impressively carved out his own place in Hollywood by nurturing a tough-guy persona. In fact, he has starred in several movies that have become big money-making franchises like The Fast and the Furious, Pitch Black, xXx, and Guardians of the Galaxy. One could say that's far more success than better thespians have been able to achieve, and it could be argued that most of it is due to that killer body, but I digress...

Bloodshot, originally a comic book, was supposed to mark the start of a new franchise, but while the visual effects are pretty good and the central idea interesting, the final product is weak. Guy Pearce is good as the main villain, but it's not enough to save a script that feels bare bones and jumpy.

THE BOTTOM LINE: If you're a Diesel fan, you'll likely enjoy this new character. If you like high-octane films with lots of action and visual and sound effects, then do check it out. Anyone else would be well served by steering clear of this one.

Grade: 5