SPENSER CONFIDENTIAL

Mark Wahlberg and director Peter Berg have teamed up for several well-made action films (Patriot’s Day, Deepwater Horizon & Lone Survivor). They’re back in what may be the first in a series of cop dramas based on the hard-edged ex-police detective from Robert B. Parker’s prolific series of books. Wahlberg plays the title character, who has just gotten out of jail, only to be immediately suspected in the murder of the police chief who put him behind bars. He must scramble, along with 2 helpful friends (Winston Duke and Alan Arkin, turning in another underplayed funny guy) to save his rep and solve the crimes. There’s potential for lots of good action and clever twists (not to mention milking the Boston milieu), but Berg’s script is not especially original or interesting. Sure, there are chases and fights, but none of it lives up to this team’s previous action success. (2 / 5)

THE PLATFORM

This Spanish import (dubbed in English) takes place in a sci-fi prison that has hundreds of levels of cells, but only 2 prisoners per cell. Each day, a floating platform loaded with a delectable feast passes from the top to bottom with less food remaining as it descends. This unusual concept starts out compelling and continues to captivate for a while. Despite the hallucinatory elements and twisting developments, the existential conversations and dark pacing start to drag it down. About an hour in, I was ready to give up, but wanted to see how it ended…and that was about as murky and confusing as the rest. Not ultimately satisfying but certainly unusual. (3 / 5)