Contraband (2012 film)

Contraband

Company type	Film
Industry	Motion picture
Founded	2012
Founder	Baltasar Kormákur (director)
Products	Action thriller film
Parent	Universal Pictures (distributor)

Contraband is a 2012 action thriller film helmed by director Baltasar Kormákur, featuring performances by Mark Wahlberg, Kate Beckinsale, Ben Foster, Caleb Landry Jones, Giovanni Ribisi, Lukas Haas, Diego Luna, and J. K. Simmons. This movie serves as a remake of the 2008 Icelandic production Reykjavík-Rotterdam, with distribution handled by Universal Pictures.

Plot

Set in New Orleans, the story follows Chris Farraday, a former smuggler who has settled into a peaceful life with his wife Kate and their children. Trouble arises when Kate’s brother, Andy, becomes entangled in drug trafficking. During a routine inspection by U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Andy panics and disposes of the drugs into the Mississippi River. This act draws the ire of his employer, Tim Briggs, who threatens harm to Chris’s family unless Andy repays his debt.

To resolve the crisis, Chris formulates a plan to transport $10 million in counterfeit currency from Panama concealed within a van. He enlists his old associate Sebastian Abney to fund the scheme. Alongside Andy and two others, Danny and Davis, Chris boards a cargo vessel. For their protection, Chris’s family relocates to Sebastian’s residence after receiving threats.

In Panama, Chris orchestrates a distraction to recover the counterfeit money from crime boss Gonzalo, while Andy is forced into purchasing cocaine with the cash. To secure the counterfeit bills, Chris agrees to assist Gonzalo in an armored truck heist; although Gonzalo and his crew are killed during the attempt, Chris manages to escape with the van, fake currency, and an invaluable Jackson Pollock painting.

Sebastian, secretly indebted to gangster Jim Church and colluding with Briggs, applies pressure on Chris by threatening Kate’s safety. Following a violent altercation at Sebastian’s home, Kate manages to flee. Sebastian informs Captain Camp about the cocaine shipment, leading to a Customs search that fails to uncover the hidden counterfeit money but results in Chris’s brief detention.

Briggs captures both Chris and Andy to demand delivery of the cocaine. Chris sets a trap by luring Briggs to Captain Camp’s residence, where law enforcement arrests Briggs and his associates during a confrontation. Upon uncovering Sebastian’s treachery, Chris rescues Kate from a construction site where she was held captive; Sebastian is subsequently arrested and imprisoned.

Danny and Davis retrieve the counterfeit bills from the river. At a U.S. Customs auction, Andy successfully reacquires the van containing the painting. Chris sells the counterfeit currency for $3 million to Church, who reveals that the painting’s black market value exceeds $20 million. Empowered by these funds, Chris’s family embarks on a new chapter living in a waterfront home.

Cast

• Mark Wahlberg as Chris Farraday
• Kate Beckinsale as Kate Farraday
• Ben Foster as Sebastian Abney
• Caleb Landry Jones as Andy
• Giovanni Ribisi as Tim Briggs
• Diego Luna as Gonzalo
• J. K. Simmons as Captain Redmond Camp
• Lukas Haas as Danny Raymer
• Michael Beasley as Davis
• Robert Wahlberg as John Bryce
• Jaqueline Fleming as Jeanie Goldare
• William Lucking as Bud Farraday
• David O'Hara as Jim Church
• Kirk Bovill as Crewman
• Lucky Johnson as Tarik
• Viktor Hernandez as Edwin
• Ólafur Darri Ólafsson as Olaf
• Jason Mitchell as Walter

Production

Principal photography took place in early 2011, with locations including New Orleans, Louisiana and Panama City.

Release

The movie made its debut in the United States on January 13, 2012.

Critical reception

On Rotten Tomatoes, the movie has garnered a 50% approval rating from 163 critics, averaging a score of 5.4/10. The site's consensus highlights that it offers more enjoyment than the average January action thriller but is hampered by a lack of originality and a complex storyline. Metacritic assigned it a score of 51 out of 100 based on reviews from 38 critics, reflecting mixed opinions. Audience responses collected by CinemaScore were favorable, awarding an average grade of "A−".

Reviews from critics were diverse: Roger Ebert rated it 2 out of 4 stars, acknowledging its energetic execution but noting overused heist clichés. Tom Long of The Detroit News described the film as efficient yet criticized its shallow character development. Claudia Puig from USA Today labeled the "one last job" plot as tired and formulaic. Andrew O'Hehir at Salon characterized the movie as a chaotic thriller steeped in clichés. Peter Travers of Rolling Stone faulted its dependence on Hollywood stereotypes and Mark Wahlberg’s lackluster performance.

In contrast, Justin Chang of Variety commended its brisk tempo and focused narrative despite some improbable elements. Michael O'Sullivan from The Washington Post likened it to a less glamorous version of Ocean's Eleven. Owen Gleiberman at Entertainment Weekly recognized its gritty yet engaging qualities, deeming it suitable for a January release.

Home media

Contraband became available on DVD and Blu-ray on April 24, 2012. The Blu-ray edition was reissued in both 2015 and 2019. In 2021, Mill Creek Entertainment released a Blu-ray double feature combining Contraband with the Universal film Fear, another project starring Mark Wahlberg.