The Baker

"The Baker" centers on a quiet, lonely man , Pappi (Ron Perlman) whose estranged son (Joel David Moore) suddenly comes back into his life with a granddaughter (Emma Ho). He never knew existed, then he must do everything he can to protect her from the mob hitman, Vic (Elias Koteas), sent by ruthless mobster chief Merchant (Harvey Keitel) to find her. When his son disappears on a shady business opportunity, the solitary baker must do everything he can to find his son, and he'll stop at nothing and at whatever price. Together, the baker and the little girl must avoid corrupt people, contract killers and the mob to survive and at all costs.

Thrilling and nail-biting movie with noisy action, shootouts , spectacular scenes, strong fights, violence and amazing finale . Action thriller loaded with violence in which Ron Perlman plays a baker tormented by his past who sees his life change when his missing son disappears due to a nasty business, now the baker must do everything possible to find him and protect his granddaughter from the mafia hitmen sent to look for him. It pits a dark, sinister, explosively violent world, filled with murders, against the gravitational forces of long forgotten loved ones. There is a beautiful relationship between the grandfather and the mute granddaughter -that bears remarkable resemblance to ¨Luc Besson's The Professional¨- the latter notably played by Emma Ho, despite her novice in interpretive art.

In addition to Ron Perlman who gives a stunning interpretation making its reluctant hero do anything to protect the innocent , the cast includes two heavyweights such as Harvey Keitel (¨Pulp Fiction¨) , Elias Koteas, (¨Angels and Demons¨, ¨Chicago P. D.¨) and adding Joel David Moore (¨Avatar¨). This slow-moving and some boring motion picture was professionally directed by Jonathan Sobol, though with no originality, because the matter of the story, we had already seen it before and better in other films. Sobol has directed a few movies with uneven success, such as: ¨A Beginner's Guide to Endings¨, ¨The Art of the Steal¨, ¨Young Drunk Punk¨ and ¨The Padre¨. Rating: 5.5/10. Average but acceptable and passable.

Pappi (Ron Perlman) is the baker. His estranged no-good son Peter (Joel David Moore) shows up out of nowhere with mute daughter Delphi (Emma Ho). Peter had stolen from Vic (Elias Koteas) and mob boss Merchant (Harvey Keitel) is not happy.

This is part John Wick and part Léon: The Professional. It's got the extended continuous fight action. It is a simple story. Ron Perlman is always a dominating presence. It's a simple role for him. It also has some great actors filling out the cast. The girl is pretty cute and being mute does limit the possibility of failure. It all adds up to a solid B-movie.

This action/thriller may feel familiar with elements borrowed from various sources, but its likable cast keeps things engaging with their charm and charisma. The Baker cleverly combines bits from John Wick, Aliens, and The Professional, placing the right elements in the right places to provide an enjoyable experience, even if it doesn't introduce anything groundbreaking. Perlman's portrayal as a fighter is believable, showcasing his human side with vulnerability after a fight, and his bonding with young Emma Ho's character, Delphi, is heartwarming. Keitel's portrayal of the crime lord exudes calm menace, while Koteas' Vic becomes a tragic figure. The film leaves room for a possible sequel, and with intriguing characters, that prospect seems promising.

If you think the story line is familiar, winner winner chicken dinner.

Its another in a long long long line of 'who is this guy' movies.

So, its nothing new. But, that's ok. What really matters here is 'do the performances hold your attention'? Yes they do. Extra large Ronnie is awesome in this, yes he's playing the same role (Hellboy aside) that he always plays and he does it with a nice undercurrent of humour and not taking himself too seriously.

Elias is solid if not under used and Harvey K delivers exactly what you think he is going to do. Still its nice to see him on screen.

The movie (see for yourself) does miss the opportunity for a classic screen moment towards the end but such is life.

Watch the credits.

Nice effort :)

When the movie started, I was thinking to myself that it kind of felt familiar. It was almost like somebody had binged watched some early Steven Seagal movies like Nico (1988) and Hard to Kill - Ein Cop schlägt zurück (1990), and then thought up this story. Wasn't bad, just a little slow. The action wasn't that bad, Ron Perlman aka The Baker, did a reasonable job portraying his character. Old school baddie, Harvey Keitel was his usual self and matched his character too. Vic (Elias Koteas) played the tortured number two. If you are expecting a movie similar to 96 Hours (2008) or the fast action of Liam Neeson, you won't find it here.

Overall, a solid above average movie. I would recommend at least one watch.