“Hammer” Can’t Quite Leave An Impact

Prodigal sons, tough fathers, and the extreme situations that bring them back together once more are nothing new onscreen. It’s a tried and true dramatic formula. Hammer is the latest to give it a shot, crafting a film that mixes drama elements with thriller moments (basically falling under the crime genre, overall) to try and craft something a bit different. Unfortunately, despite a nice performance from Will Patton, the ultimate impact left by the project is far less than you would expect. The ingredients are here for something fairly moving and easily effective, but the folks involved can’t quite pull it off. The movie is a crime tale, mixing dramatic and thriller elements, in telling the story of a father and son. For Stephen Davis (Will Patton), his estranged son Chris (Mark O’Brien) has always been an albatross around his neck. Not in the traditional ways, but in terms of worrying about him. When Stephen sees his son speeding past him one day, he knows in his bones that something is up. Lo and behold, he’s right. Chris is fleeing a botched drug deal, one that would have given him some desperately needed cash. Knowing his boy needs him, Stephen offers some assistance, but it quickly becomes more than they both bargained for. Any hope of mending their relationship takes a back seat as things get dangerous in a hurry. Chris’ partner Lori (Dayle McLeod) goes missing at the same time as a vengeful drug dealer kidnaps someone they both love. The more Stephen learns about Chris, the less he recognizes his son. As he ponders just how much he’s failed as a father, he has to decide if he can truly keep helping the boy, even as the cost increases. Christian Sparkes directs and penned the screenplay here, with cinematography from Michael Robert McLaughlin, while Jeff Morrow composes the score. Supporting players include Lara Jean Chorostecki, Ben Cotton, Connor Price, and more. Will Patton is the main reason to consider seeing this flick. Writer/director Christian Sparkes balances the story nicely between Patton and Mark O’Brien, but he should have leaned harder into the latter’s story, as it’s the far more compelling one. Patton’s mix of determination to help his son and horror at what Chris has become makes his interpretation of Stephen a real winner. O’Brien is fine, but he’s far more of a stock character, between the two. […]

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