Too long, too plodding, too forgettable

The last time Shane Black directed a feature film, the result was the cataclysmic disaster of The Predator, a project that woefully squandered its incredible potential and nearly killed the franchise for good. On the surface, 2025's Play Dirty is the perfect comeback vehicle for the filmmaker after a seven-year hiatus, as it's a story with eccentric characters, action scenes, profane dialogue, dead bodies, and a few twists and turns. However, the movie is a far cry from what we used to expect from the talented screenwriter who penned such classics as The Last Boy Scout and Lethal Weapon. Although it comes to life at times, Play Dirty struggles with a punishingly long running time and limp storytelling, making it another baffling misfire for the director.


A professional thief, Parker (Mark Wahlberg) orchestrates a heist to rob a racetrack count room with several trusted offsiders, including Philly (Thomas Jane) and Zen (Rosa Salazar). After the thieves escape with the loot, Zen betrays them, gunning down the team and leaving Parker for dead. Parker recuperates and looks to take revenge, but learns that Zen used the stolen funds from the horse track to finance another heist to steal treasure recovered from the Lady of Arintero shipwreck. The corrupt Ignacio De La Paz (Alejandro Edda), the president of a South American country, plans to retrieve the treasure and display it at the United Nations. The crucial part of De La Paz's plan involves hiring a crime syndicate known as the Outfit, led by Lozini (Tony Shalhoub), to steal the treasure from the UN, allowing the politician to sell it for billions and walk away with a substantial cut, leaving his country bankrupt. However, Zen wants to steal the treasure on behalf of the country's citizens. Parker quickly takes the lead on the heist, building a new team with a fellow thief and theatre company owner, Grofield (LaKeith Stanfield).

Filmmakers routinely adapt Donald E. Westlake's "Parker" book series for the screen, leading to movies like 1967's Point Blank, 1999's Payback with Mel Gibson in the lead role, and 2013's Parker with Jason Statham playing the titular part. Instead of adapting an existing novel, Play Dirty is an original story from screenwriters Shane Black, Charles Mondry, and Anthony Bagarozzi. With Parker recovering from his wounds and wanting to track down Zen, there's a simple set-up here for a revenge actioner in the mould of Payback, but the screenplay adds too many characters and complications. The execution is reminiscent of the helmer's timeless directorial debut, Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, but that movie clocked in at under 100 minutes.


Unsurprisingly, Black fills the picture with his recognisable trademarks, including a noir feel and a Christmastime setting, while Alan Silvestri's catchy, jazz-infused score and the stylish animated opening credits sequence evoke Kiss Kiss Bang Bang. Unfortunately, Play Dirty ends up feeling like a below-par imitation of a Shane Black movie. It lacks the snap, crackle, and pop of the director's best works, with the dialogue here sounding very ordinary and unremarkable, rather than razor-sharp and witty. Funny moments are present, but they are startlingly rare. Pacing is also off, and by the third act, the viewing experience feels exhausting and unnecessarily prolonged.

Shot with digital cameras and featuring a noticeable reliance on CGI, Play Dirty exhibits the clinical, unremarkable digital look characteristic of contemporary streaming movies. Put simply, there is no visual gravitas here that demands a big-screen viewing experience, making it unsurprising that the movie launched on Amazon Prime Video without any theatrical release. The small-scale shootouts and action beats are far more enjoyable than the over-the-top moments, which feature cartoonish digital effects that immediately stand out as fake and unconvincing. An opening chase is especially egregious, as it features digitally-created horses and wonky greenscreen work, kicking off the feature on an underwhelming note. The climactic heist is also not especially thrilling, as the characters never truly feel in danger. However, the R-rated punch to the violence is appreciated.


Wahlberg brings his trademark attitude to the role of Parker, never stepping outside of his comfort zone as he fires weapons and cracks wise. Black originally wanted Robert Downey Jr. for the lead role, which would have undoubtedly brought more spark and magic to the uninspiring ensemble here. LaKeith Stanfield and the always-reliable Keegan-Michael Key add some personality to the feature as thieves, but Black wastes talented names like the underrated Thomas Jane, and none of the performers can elevate the material above the ordinary. Too long, too plodding, and too forgettable, Play Dirty is a missed opportunity that only shows occasional glimmers of promise. It's watchable, but that's about it.

5.2/10