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0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Home News Latest Stories Emergency services, May 3 Former San Quentin guard publishes book Photographers capture some lovely blooms in latest Mail Tribune contest Soaring rents, stagnant wages create housing crisis Wimer's Highland Games appeal to both the kilted and kiltless Crime, Courts and Emergency Services Emergency services, May 3 Dozens of drivers nabbed in Medford pedestrian sting Emergency services, May 2 Gold Hill man torched his foreclosed property No leads on who smashed about 20 windows in Ashland before dawn Thursday Politics and Elections BREAKING: Baltimore prosecutor charges officers in Freddie Gray's death Earthquakes hit regularly in Medford (Oklahoma, that is) Medford School Board, Position 6: Curt Ankerberg vs. Janet Lightheart Arthur I. Cyr: Cuba’s enduring challenge to American foreign policy – and American politics Gov. Brown touts need for transportation funding in talk to Medford chamber Education More kindergartners vaccinated in 2015 Elementary students honor local police officers Levy backers eye final push Two seats contested on Central Point School Board Neal Simon: This is a test Environment Earthquakes hit regularly in Medford (Oklahoma, that is) Residents say armed mine supporters sully Josephine County's reputation Armed protesters gather at Medford BLM office over Sugar Pine Mine dispute Jackson County's wildlife services agent seen as both killer and savior Biomass technology: Creating products out of former waste State News PERS ruling means tough choices for state and local lawmakers US, Canada unveil rules to boost oil train safety Cylvia Hayes public records case goes before Salem judge Fixit tag for Portland's noted Portland Building: $175 million Fee targets rail cars that haul oil, other flammables Nation - World There's a $10 million precious stone hidden in plain sight at Grand Central Tsarnaev convicted on all charges in Boston Marathon bombing Obituaries Tim Lawrence Yockey Penelope Catherine (Turner) Martens William "Bill" Geisslinger Alice Irenia (McFall) Calkins Dennis Dean Ekwall Weather Photo Galleries Since You Asked Videos Web Cams Mail Tribune 100 Shareable Sports Latest Stories Ragan, Tornado hit way past Indians Mayweather wins decision in richest fight Timbers, Whitecaps play to 0-0 draw North’s Folsom, South boys shine at GP Rotary Marist halts EP’s winning streak Varsity 541 College Sports Raiders' Abbott breaks 22-year-old record Dodge signs as free agent with Falcons Lockie stands out in Ducks' spring game Raiders go 1-1, advance to today Singler shines in Raider spring game Pro Sports Mayweather wins decision in richest fight Timbers, Whitecaps play to 0-0 draw Clippers oust defending champ Spurs McIlroy, Casey fight until darkness Quarterbacks Petty, Hundley chosen on final day Community Sports Bailey picks up modified win Wilson delivers in return of local boxing Palmer breezes to second straight men’s title Business Latest Stories Blog: Do You Want Cheese with Your Wine? Never enough: New Starbucks proposed on Barnett Road in Medford Comcast deal dropped along with Pac-12 1-800Flowers.com reports $10.5 million loss in third quarter Jackson County debt-ridden homeowners have an option Real Estate News Never enough: New Starbucks proposed on Barnett Road in Medford Jackson County debt-ridden homeowners have an option New home in an old house Naumes plans custom-crush winery in former packing house GREEN ACRES: Southern Oregon provides escape from the maddening crowd People In Business Transportation Erickson finds room to work at Medford airport Lithia Motors nets $40.7 million in first quarter Lithia Motors reports second-best quarter ever Business briefs Medford airport's record run continues Agriculture 1-800Flowers.com reports $10.5 million loss in third quarter Naumes plans custom-crush winery in former packing house New bosses take charge at Harry & David Dancin Vineyards covers up Opinion Latest Letters to the Editor, May 3 Our View: Our picks for Medford School Board Dana Milbank: Clinton's opponents need to smoke her out George Will: The Lusitania's role in history Charles Krauthammer: Men wielding power in hellish times Editorials Our View: Our picks for Medford School Board Other Views: Gun-bill recalls misguided, futile Our View: Bill gives ex-convicts a glimmer of hope Our View: Medical marijuana market not at risk Our View: Don't wait on public records reform Letters to the Editor Letters to the Editor, May 3 Letters to the Editor, May 2 Letters to the Editor, May 1 Letters to the Editor, April 30 Letters to the Editor, April 29 Columns Dana Milbank: Clinton's opponents need to smoke her out George Will: The Lusitania's role in history Charles Krauthammer: Men wielding power in hellish times Guest Opinion: Animal-killing program pulls wool over taxpayers' eyes Michael Gerson: A pastor's faith in Baltimore Guest Opinions Guest Opinion: Animal-killing program pulls wool over taxpayers' eyes Guest Opinion: Uniting to restore our sovereignty to we, the people Guest Opinion: This Earth Day, we celebrate the Northwest Forest Plan The Medford School Board was wrong: 'American Pageant' is a political agenda, not history The Medford School Board was right: 'American Pageant' is a fine book, and the board did its homework Lifestyle Latest stories Photographers capture some lovely blooms in latest Mail Tribune contest Bright spots in the dark Wedding: Melody Ann Madi and Lyman Martin Stiles Engagement: Anders-Stanley Columnist for a Day: 'When Harry met Shirley,' the story continues Food Andrea Honaker: Mexican-inspired dips for Cinco de Mayo Set a table from your local farmers market Let's do brunch! Page H. Onorato: Enjoying good food just for the fun of it Page H. Onorato: Food items appear in the funnies Home and Garden Heirloom tomatoes bring ageless flavor Betty Montgomery: You can have a variety of ferns in your garden Clean out household chemicals Friday and Saturday Dear Monty: 10 tips to avoid tenant complaints Home Help: Upgrade your entryway with simple DIY projects Health Dr. Murray Feingold: Turn down that noise Health Watch: Pack your pantry with healthy items HealthStyle: It’s all in the family dinner 'Game changer' for heart patients Health Watch: Tips for protecting your eyes Hiking Biking Faith Religion Briefs: Friday, May 1 Religion Briefs: Friday, April 24 Religion Briefs: Friday, April 17 Religion briefs: Friday, April 10 Milestones and Achievements Wedding: Melody Ann Madi and Lyman Martin Stiles Engagement: Anders-Stanley ENGAGEMENT: Sellers-James Witham's birthday bash draws hundreds for 1950s prices Charlesworth-Murphy Columnist for a Day Rogue Healthy Aging Tempo Latest stories 5 picks for live entertainment Live Music in Local Clubs Master Gardener Spring Fair at The Expo Randall Theatre stages 'Little Shop of Horrors' Camelot Theatre presents 'Arsenic and Old Lace' Theater REVIEW: Carson, Patton shine in 'Arsenic and Old Lace' Some Oregon Shakespeare Festival crew members seek to unionize Randall Theatre stages 'Little Shop of Horrors' 'Much Ado' at SOU Thanks for the Memories stages 'Company' one night only Music Thunder's Edge, Steel Cranes tonight at Club 66 The Farr Side: CMAs do it right, in many ways Live Music in Local Clubs Trio Brasileiro plays Old Siskiyou Barn Interview: Offspring plays hits new and old on tour Community Events Ashland's First Friday Art Walk showcases new exhiits by regional artists Master Gardener Spring Fair at The Expo A Taste of Ashland pairs food and wine at galleries Rogue Valley Earth Day 2015 Foreign language film festival set at SOU Movies Movie review: ‘Avengers: Age of Ultron’ has a lot going on Movie review: ‘Avengers: Age of Ultron’ knows how to party Catching up with the Avengers Interview: Sofia Vergara talks ‘Hot Pursuit’ Quick Flicks: ‘Cinderella,’ ‘Insurgent’ and more Dining Restaurant inspections, May 3, 2015 Taqueria Picaro offers casual Mexican cuisine Restaurant inspections: April 26, 2015 Island Grindz serves up Hawaiian specialties Have you wandered down the Bear Creek Wine Trail yet? Tempo Videos Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » Obits Blogs TV Listings Movie Listings Oregon Outdoors Oregon Healthy Living Special Sections Business Services NEWS NOW Our View: Our picks for Medford School Board ... Bright spots in the dark ... Guest Opinion: Animal-killing program pulls wool over taxpayers' eyes ... Our View: Our picks for Medford School Board ... Bright spots in the dark ... Guest Opinion: Animal-killing program pulls wool over taxpayers' eyes ... Movie review: 'The Gunman' misses the target Comment By Ed Symkus More Content Now MailTribune.com By Ed Symkus More Content Now Posted Mar. 20, 2015 at 12:01 AM By Ed Symkus More Content Now Posted Mar. 20, 2015 at 12:01 AM » Social News * Embargoed for Friday release. There have been a couple of taut, exciting films from French director Pierre Morel: the Parkour-filled “District B-13” and the first of the Liam Neeson “Taken” series. Those words “taut” and “exciting” won’t be a part of any discussions about his newest. In “The Gunman,” very loosely based on the Jean-Patrick Manchette novel “The Prone Gunman,” Sean Penn plays Jim, a private security contractor based in the trouble-plagued Congo in 2006, there to protect humanitarian groups, and people like Annie (Jasmine Trinca), the beautiful doctor that Jim happens to be sleeping with. There’s also Felix (Javier Bardem), a fellow who sets up all kinds of meetings for the humanitarian people and the security people. It’s hard to tell exactly what he does, but he never hides the fact that he also has an amorous eye on Annie. It’s also hard to tell exactly what Jim is doing there. He has a team of men, he’s heavily armed and he has a long gun set up in his hotel room, where he’s waiting for an order to take out a moving target. Who is giving that order? Why does he blow away the Congo’s Minister of Minerals? Who’s good and who’s bad? But before any questions can be answered, the words “eight years later” spill out across the screen. Jim is still in the Congo, working with a humanitarian group, getting clean water to the locals. But bad guys with guns and machetes suddenly come looking for “the white man,” and they obviously aren’t there for some afternoon tea. But remember, Jim knows how to use a gun. It’s revealed that he’s former special ops. He takes out the bad guys and gets away. But what appears to be the beginning of an intriguing (and taut and exciting) story soon loses its luster. Jim looks tired, as he should, since he’s a guy who’s trying to escape his violent past but keeps seeing it come after him. That would be fine if not for the fact that the film plays out in almost as tried a manner as Jim’s situation. The pacing plods where it should soar. He makes his way to London, where an old friend has no idea why anyone would be looking for Jim, but suggests that maybe their mutual pal Felix, who is in Barcelona, would know. But before Jim can board a Spain-bound plane, he starts seeing double, he gets dizzy, he suffers from some headaches, he goes to a doctor. “Hmmm, it looks like you’ve got incurable, untreatable post-concussion syndrome,” says the doctor. “Take these pills for your headaches, and try to stay away from stress.” That story gimmick in place, Jim gets to Barcelona, finds Felix, who’s living the good life, then finds that Felix is now married to Annie who, to this day, has wondered why Jim just up and left her without a goodbye all those years ago. So what have we got here? Bad guys are trying to kill Jim; no one can tell him why; the love of his life is married to the guy who was once his rival for her. Sorry, this just isn’t a good place or situation for someone with stress issues. No worries. Even though Jim and Felix have a tussle about the past (and their “project” in the Congo), and Jim and Annie have a secret tumble beneath the sheets, and hoards of bad guys with guns come calling, and Jim and Annie make a daring escape, the stress issues have up and vanished. The script seems to have forgotten about them. No, wait ... he tells blissfully ignorant Annie about what really went on in the Congo, he’s chatted up by a helpful Interpol agent (Idris Elba, who has second billing in the film but is onscreen for about five minutes), and his condition returns, presented in ’70s cinema-style, with blurred images and muffled words as seen and heard from Jim’s point of view. It’s a gimmick that’s not needed and that never rings true. But you can’t worry about that because adversaries are closing in on all sides, and it looks like there’s going to be just enough time to move things over to the bull ring. Hey, we’re in Barcelona, let’s do some clichéd drama in a bull ring. This is a generic thriller that puts its protagonist through some tough paces, introduces and knocks off character after character, then floats away on an unearned ending that will soon be forgotten. Honest to goodness, I saw the film yesterday and I don’t remember how it ended. Must be all that stress. Ed Symkus covers movies for More Content Now. THE GUNMAN Written by Don MacPherson and Pete Travis; directed by Pierre Morel With Sean Penn, Jasmine Trinca, Javier Bardem, Idris Elba Rated R By Ed Symkus More Content Now MailTribune.com By Ed Symkus More Content Now Posted Mar. 20, 2015 at 12:01 AM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. calendar Connect with MailTribune.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services Home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Announcements Obituaries Story ideas Since you asked Alerts Email Alerts RSS Feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. 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