The fact that the movie's hero, Bob Revere, is played by an actor whose press-kit bio describes him as "perhaps best known for his on-screen fight with the late Patrick Swayze in the cult movie Road House," severely limits the film's broader appeal.
Heading a cast of mostly unknowns, whose level of talent varies widely, star Marshall Teague will win no acting awards for his performance as an American veteran and patriot pushed to the limit by political correctness. The sheer volume of what I like to call "eyebrow acting" - in which thespian intensity is directly proportional to the angle and depth of one's forehead furrows - is staggering.
The strenuous ax-grinding of the polemical script by Darrel Campbell (who codirected with producer Kevin McAfee) will also win few converts to the cause. Simply put, Last Ounce argues that the American people are slowly but surely being robbed of our freedoms by Big Government. Though no doubt earnest, that message is hampered by heavy-handedness. It feels like a political attack ad created by a group of passionate but unpolished novices.
Last Ounce is a workmanlike, if treacly and overblown, piece of propaganda. Its effectiveness depends entirely on the degree to which you already believe its talking points.
Last Ounce of Courage *1/2 (out of four stars)
Directed by Darrell Campbell, Kevin McAfee. With Marshall R. Teague, Jennifer O'Neill, and Fred Williamson. Distributed by Rocky Mountain Pictures.
Running time: 1 hour, 41 mins.
Parent's guide: PG (brief war images and smoking)
Playing at: selected theaters
