Name: Out of Death
Genre: Action, Thriller, Crime
Released: 2021-07-16T00:00:00+00:00
Cast: Jaime King, Bruce Willis, Lala Kent, Tyler Jon Olson, Kelly Greyson

The opening shot of Out of Death lingers on Jaime King‘s breathless face, dirt smeared across her cheek as she stumbles through the woods—an image that promises tension and urgency. Instead, we get a shaky, formulaic chase scene that feels like it was cobbled together in a week (because it was). Directed by Mike Burns, this 2021 action thriller stars Bruce Willis in one of his final roles before retiring due to frontotemporal dementia, and the film’s rushed production values are painfully evident.

The plot centers on Shannon Mathers (King), a photojournalist who witnesses a corrupt cop, Billie Stanhope (Lala Kent), involved in a drug deal. After she’s discovered, Shannon flees into the woods, where she crosses paths with Jack Harris (Willis), a retired sheriff grieving his late wife. Together, they become targets of a corrupt police force led by Sheriff Hank Rivers (Michael Sirow). The premise has potential—an everyman and an unlikely ally fighting against systemic corruption—but Out of Death squanders it at every turn.

The film’s biggest sin is its pacing. Shot in just nine days due to COVID-19 complications, the editing feels haphazard, with scenes stitched together without cohesion or rhythm. A chase sequence that should be heart-pounding devolves into a series of disjointed shots and confusing geography. The dialogue is stiff and unnatural, particularly in Willis’s scenes, which were filmed in a single day. His performance feels phoned in, lacking the charisma and presence that once defined his roles.

King fares slightly better, delivering a competent (if unremarkable) turn as Shannon, but even her efforts are undercut by the script’s clichés and predictable beats. The film attempts to explore themes of grief and survival, but these ideas never rise above surface-level exposition. A subplot involving Jack’s late wife is introduced and discarded without meaningful resolution.

The action sequences, meant to be the film’s selling point, suffer from poor execution. Stunt work feels unconvincing, and the fight choreography lacks weight or impact. The cinematography is functional but uninspired, with flat lighting and unremarkable compositions. Even the film’s score fails to elevate the material, leaning on generic tension cues that do little to heighten suspense.

Where Out of Death might have found originality—in its critique of corrupt law enforcement or its exploration of grief—it instead plays it safe, adhering to well-worn tropes of the genre. The cat-and-mouse dynamic between Shannon and the cops never feels fresh or surprising, and the film’s attempts at social commentary come off as heavy-handed and insincere.

The verdict? Out of Death is a forgettable entry in the action-thriller canon, saved only by Jaime King’s earnest performance. Bruce Willis’s presence adds a veneer of legitimacy, but even his star power can’t salvage this rushed, underwhelming effort.