Continuing on from Fortress (2021), the film begins with Robert (Bruce Willis) fulfilling his promise to rescue the wife of his defeated enemy Balzary (Chad Michael Murray). While Robert’s secret mission is successful, he is shot and badly wounded. Robert returns to what remains of the Fortress, where he’ll be kept under medical surveillance and recover in due time. It’s been over a month since the Fortress went under attack. Only a handful of survivors could stand their ground and now work to keep the Fortress standing. However, given the recent attack and breach on the Fortress, new orders have surfaced to shut the entire facility down for good.
The task of packing up the facility will be done by returning characters, including Paul (Jesse Metcalfe) and Kate (Kelly Greyson), who are still falling in love with each other more and more. They are now questioning what they will do once the Fortress is shut down. Kate’s mother and sister are also in town visiting the Fortress, hoping to convince Kate to move back home closer to family. However, the family reunion is short-lived as a group of skilled criminals break into the Fortress yet again, and surprise, Balzary is still alive! This time, Balzary will try to reclaim his large fortune and once again have ultimate revenge on his trainer and mentor, Robert.
Like the previous instalment, Fortress 2: Sniper’s Eye is best described as an action and sci-fi film. Although, as a sequel, I’m saddened to say this film takes a major step back in areas of plot and story. The plot of this film was weak, vague, and lazy. Watching a group of people pack up and vacate a premise isn’t overly exciting, and big reveals are far too obvious and highly ridiculous. The villain’s motives are an exact repeat of the previous instalment- killing Robert, and getting lots of money. But once again, due to loads of unnecessary talking, this film feels hollow and pointless.
Fans of Bruce Willis prepare to be disappointed as the actor spends most of his screen-time speaking from a hospital bed. The lead, Paul (Jesse Metcalfe), is given very little to do here and spends most of this time trying to get out of the situation by talking or using his computer to save the day. Kelly Grayson, as Kate, is given most of the action scenes here, but viewers will be surprised to find that she is only in one location for a good portion of the film. Side characters and their side missions are uninteresting and fail to bring any likeable presence to the screen. Action scenes could be entertaining for some, but sadly various edits and cuts make the action scenes look farfetched and hard to swallow.
Overall, while the first film was capable of offering a small amount of creativity and brainless entertainment, it kills me to say it, but this sequel takes a huge step backwards in all areas. Fortress 2: Sniper’s Eye is a massive misfire with a lazy and weak plot and characters who generally do very little on-screen. Actor Bruce Willis spends most of his screen time in a hospital bed, and actors, including Jesse Metcalfe, are sadly uninteresting and do little to help the story. Action scenes lack excitement, and big reveals are extremely predictably painful to watch unfold. Even the returning villain, played by Chad Michael Murray, is toned down and has long and awful amounts of babbling dialogue. If the rumours of a third instalment are true, I hope like the Fortress itself, someone shuts it down immediately. Also, why on Earth is this film called Sniper’s Eye? Nonsense!
1.2/10
4th July 2022
Written by Peter Walkden
WALKDEN ENTERTAINMENT
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