Take a break from everyday life’s usual hustle and bustle and get enveloped in an action, comedy, and romance-packed film.
Meet Michael McKenna (Mark Wahlberg), a simple construction worker who resides in New Jersey and has best man duties for a friend’s wedding in a couple of days and Roxanne Hall (Halle Berry) a secret agent for an organisation called The Union.
The Plot
Michael and Roxanne were high school lovers who went their separate ways because of unresolvable issues. 25 years later, Roxanne seeks Michael to help in retrieving a briefcase containing intel on every man and woman that has ever served a Western Allied country, every local cop, rifleman, and every other law enforcement agent.
The first attempt at retrieving the briefcase was at Trieste, Italy. The briefcase was with a former CIA analyst, the operation was however compromised leading to the death of the CIA agent and agents from the Union.
With the operation compromised, Roxanne travels to New Jersey, hangs out with Michael, and then tranquilises him. Oblivious to what has gone wrong, Michael wakes up at a luxurious hotel in London and meets Tom Brennan, Roxanne’s boss. Michael gets briefed on what is happening.
The briefcase is on its way to be auctioned off to the highest bidder and their auction session can only be accessed through a device. This is where Michael comes in.
Michael, a fresh face to what happens in the underworld, is trained and recruited by the Union to buy the device that will give the Union access to the auction of the briefcase.
Michael is then given five million to purchase the device but is ambushed by a group of guys who are also interested in the device, Roxanne saves Michael from the attack but the device is damaged in the process.
Seeing as they do not have any other way to get the device, the Union goes after some Korean mercenaries who have one of the devices. They get the device but end up losing one of their team members while their headquarters is blown up.
The Twist
On the day of the auction, the team which now includes Mike regrouped for the auction, they bid for the briefcase just like every other bidder while the location of the auctioneer Juliet Quinn was being tracked.
With the location successfully taken, Michael and Roxanne visit Juliet Quinn to retrieve the briefcase but also get paid a surprising visit by someone Roxanne thought was dead, Nick.
Nick is one of the union agents thought to have died during the attack in Trieste, Italy. Nick reveals that there is a mole in the Union and the mole is responsible for all their operations being jeopardised.
Nick points out Tom Brennan as the mole stating that the intel contains details on everyone who has worked for the US government since the Cold War, including classified mission logs.
Tom Brennan, who used to run black ops for the CIA, has done things the government has been compelled to bury things that Tom wouldn’t want to see the light of day.
Nick suggests the briefcase be given directly to the CIA on a bridge the next morning, Michael also gets to find out that Nick was Roxanne’s husband.
On their way back Roxanne and Michael get into an argument. Michael questions why Roxanne left out the part about being married, and the issues that made them separate while Roxanne points out that Michael should be grateful that she brought him out of his small life in Jersey and made him a part of something big. They go their separate ways.
Thinking of all that has happened and his life back home, Michael calls home to promise his friend that he will make it to the wedding as planned and play his part as the best man.
The next day Roxanne goes to the bridge, and Michael shows up also. But they get hit by another shocking surprise, a call from Nick.
Tom Brennan wasn’t the mole, Nick was and the briefcase Roxanne was holding wasn’t the one containing the Intel. Juliet Quinn had switched the briefcase the previous night while Nick was spilling lies to Roxanne and Michael. Nick was on his way to sell the intel to some Iranians who were also interested in the intel.
Nick is tracked to Istria and the meeting with the Iranians is interrupted by Michael and Roxanne, the Iranians and Juliet Quinn pull out from the deal. A hot car chase begins between Nick, Roxanne, and Michael which sees Nick dying.
In the final scene, Michael gives a heartwarming best-man speech, and Roxanne makes an appearance. In an attempt to sneak away and make up for the 25 years apart, they are interrupted by Tom Brennan who extends an invitation to Michael to be part of an upcoming mission.
Review
The plot of The Union is one we have seen too many times, secret agent and spy storylines are one we are familiar with. However, what makes a film with a familiar storyline worth watching over and over again is that unique addition, something that makes the movie stand out, and in this The Union failed to make an impression.
Also, there’s no chemistry between the male and female lead. They are high school lovers but we couldn’t feel that rush of emotion, that nostalgia of what once was.
The kind that makes you pray they end up together in the end even if you already know they will. The love team that you wish and pray for nothing bad to happen because they look so good together and you wouldn’t take anything less of a happy ending.
These faults aside, The Union is a great film if you are looking for a blend of romance, comedy, and action.
You can stream The Union on Netflix.
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