Having seen, and liked, The Scorpion King and The Rundown, I was looking very forward to Walking Tall. Perhaps I was looking most forward to this movie though because not only is The Rock the star of it, but alongside him are such great actors as Johnny Knoxville (Jackass, Big Trouble, etc.), Neal McDonough (Boomtown's David McNorris) and Ashley Scott (Birds of Prey's Huntress, Dark Angel, S.W.A.T.) Yes, while the average viewer may not be familiar with these characters other than Johnny Knoxville, this was somewhat of an all-star line up for me.
This story is inspired by true events and is actually also a remake. I never saw the original, so I can't really compare, but I did enjoy this movie a lot. While it is funny at times, there is also a lot of action. The Rock shines, alongside a great cast, but I can't help but feel this story was a little bit rushed. Yes, if it was a little bit longer I maybe complaining that it was too long and dragged out, but I honestly felt like they rushed this story. Being only 80 minutes or so has nothing to do with it either. They bring back The Rock's character (Chris Vaughn), and he's beaten within an inch of his life. They show him working his way back to health, beating down the evil casino when his nephew almost o.d.'s on crystal meth, and then all of a sudden, he's on trial. After the trial, he becomes sheriff, then they blow up his truck and shoot up the police station. He kills a bunch of guys right then, and then immediately goes after Neil McDonough's character and catches him with some struggle.
I don't know how exactly I'd lengthen the story, per se, but I do believe that it could have used a little more beef to it. When all was said and done, I was left thinking, "That was it?" Maybe it was just that good that I didn't want it to end, but I honestly think they should have built the story up some more. Maybe that's the way it really happened- just that quickly- and if it did, that's fine. But I would have liked to see more.
Other than the abrupt end, this movie does not let down. The Rock says the f-word, which is kind of funny to hear him say, and then there are also some strippers and stuff, but otherwise, it's a good, clean kind of movie. The Rock has a huge future in Hollywood, as he IS the action star right now. No one else even comes close.
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