In 2022, James Clayton directed Bullet Proof, his first feature film which, unfortunately, was met with more than a few unkind words from critics. Starring Clayton as The Thief, the movie also featured the talents of Vinnie Jones, Lina Lecompte, and Philip Granger, who all banded together to create what this writer believes is a fun, action-packed adventure, despite what the detractors say. Now, two years later, it seems a lot of people agree, as the film has risen to the top of the global charts over on Paramount+.
Per FlixPatrol, Bullet Proof has taken the top spot on the streaming service in 18 countries, including Mexico, Brazil, Argentina, and Venezuela, to name a few. The plot revolves around Clayton’s character pulling off the heist of a lifetime when he robs the psychotic drug lord, Temple (Jones), only to discover a stowaway in his getaway car – Temple’s pregnant wife, Mia (Lecompte).
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“This is not very good, but there are worse things you could be watching as you fall asleep on the sofa after a heavy night’s drinking,” said Leslie Felperin from The Guardian in her review of Bullet Proof. Ouch! “If you know what the thriller’s title Bullet Proof signifies, you’re a better man than me,” added critic Dennis Schwartz. Even MovieWeb’s trusted Julian Roman said that it “should only be viewed as a pure B-movie actioner,” when he reviewed the film, and honestly, there’s nothing wrong with that.
The thing that most of its staunchest critics missed is that Bullet Proof is a self-aware action flick that doesn’t promise to be anything it’s not. Clayton pulls triple-duty as star, director, and co-writer, and knows full well the depths of his limitations (and budget) in his first outing, but still manages to deliver 81 minutes of pure adrenaline, while at the same time tossing in a lot of humor that these types of films have become known for.
‘Bullet Proof’s Sequel Is Even More Fun
What many folks don’t know – but will hopefully discover – is that Bullet Proof recently got a sequel that was released on Nov. 15 titled Get Fast. Like its predecessor, the film is also directed by Clayton, who once more stars as The Thief. This time around, he’s joined by the phenomenal Lou Diamond Phillips and newcomer Suleiman Abutu, who add a lot of heart to the high-octane sequel, which sees Clayton and Abutu team up to rescue his partner (the returning Granger) from a ruthless drug lord and her charming hitman (Phillips).
Speaking with MovieWeb ahead of its release (seen above), Clayton said that when he was shooting Bullet Proof, he had no idea his character would continue on in a sequel until he got into the editing room and realized the potential for more stories set in the same universe as his first film.
“When we went into production on Bullet Proof, that was my directorial debut, so I had no idea. It really wasn’t until we got into the cutting room and I started seeing how that film was coming together that I was like, ‘Oh, it’s got some meat on the bones. I should start developing a sequel.'”
As for the future of The Thief? “There are definitely many seeds for the characters to return,” Clayton told us. While we await more news on that, be sure to check out both Bullet Proof and Get Fast this weekend if you want to be entertained, as the two movies are available on all VOD platforms here in the United States.
Release Date November 15, 2024
Cast Lou Diamond Phillips , Bradley Stryker , Lee Majdoub , Alisha-Marie Ahamed , Fei Ren , Philip Granger , James Clayton , Simon Chin , Robert Underwood , Elan Ross Gibson , James Hutson , Vesna Ennis , Michael Matic , Tefari Thompson , Suleiman Abutu
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