Attrition

• Directed by Mathieu Weschler
• September 24, 2018 (US)

An ex-special forces operative who comes out of retirement to rescue a Thai girl.

Attrition is an attempt by Steven Seagal to star in/be a part of a deep and philosophical project. It is a film filled with armchair philosophy delivered dispassionately by Seagal. The plot such as it is staggers from one moment to the next with bits and pieces that barely connect if they connect at all.

This is quite possibly the definition of a white savior movie. I think such projects are a lot more rare than some individuals would believe, but from time to time they do occur such as here. Axe is the white man who comes into the Asian village and basically makes everything good by spouting Asian philosophy. He is the wisest of the wise in the strongest of the strong.

On the one hand it’s the usual Seagal schlock. On the other Attrition has great style and presentation as well as a good soundtrack. The weakness of this film is Steven Seagal. I think any number of actors could’ve sprouted the philosophy he does and made it come off deep. Maybe it is his inability or unwillingness to perform or lack of talent that he cannot sell the dialogue. It is tough to take seriously a man with more hair that’s darker than when he actually had hair who dresses to hide his fat rather than get in a modicum of shape. There are other issues that strain believability.

This is not the first Seagal film I have watched where Seagal speaks English and gets responses from his partner in the scene in Chinese. The world doesn’t work like that! It’s unnatural and reeks of actors being filmed separately with the footage being combined. I would even have accepted dubbing of some form for one of the actors. It was something done in the 70s with imported films. Not sure why it ever died out.

Exposition is quite heavy in this film to set up whatever point is trying to be made in a particular moment. Often the script tells rather than shows with silly and convoluted plot developments. We have sons not knowing who their father is with the reveal being some supposed great lesson rather than the guy just being a deadbeat.

Hints of the supernatural abound in this. Axe is visited in his dreams by a naked female spirit guide. Seriously. Axe is tasked with saving a girl Tara (Ting Sue) that has some kind of healing ability that the villain QMom (Yu Kang) wants. He has a mysterious ailment that prevents him from going out in sunlight. She might even have telepathy though why she doesn’t use it to escape rather than to screw with the minds of her captors I don’t know. 

It’s a very nice looking film. Attrition is well shot with some good visuals yet an ultimately empty package. I give them credit for presentation. I think though with someone else in the lead it might’ve been a guilty pleasure.

The main problem Attrition has is Steven Seagal. It’s a good idea for an early 90s action movie or a present day direct-to-video movie. It’s just the major player in it. Watch this if you want.