Mark Reviews Movies: PANAMA

Panama, Saban Films

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Review by Mark Dujsik | March 17, 2022

Daniel Adams and William Barber's screenplay for Panama doesn't serve as a worthwhile history lesson, but to be fair, it doesn't need to. The bigger problem is that the movie, set amidst the political upheaval in Central American of 1980s, barely makes logical or logistical sense on any other level, either.

The whole affair, directed by Mark Neveldine, seems to be styled as a throwback to the action movies of the period, even though there isn't much action to be found here. We meet Becker (Cole Hauser), a former Marine and widower grieving to the point of near self-destruction, drinking and sleeping by his wife's grave, which he has been doing for about a year. It's 1989, and he's recruited to a secret CIA mission in the eponymous country by Stark (Mel Gibson). A pair of other characters, namely Becker's sister-in-law (played by Kate Katzman) and his CIA handler (played by Charlie Weber), show up for a single scene each, which is odd, considering how vital both of them are for the climax.

Following the Iran-Contra scandal, the U.S. government has had to find new ways to supply arms to guerilla forces fighting the socialist government in Nicaragua. That's the extent of the background, and after a while, the evasion of specifics—not only in terms of what the United States has done but also of the politics in the region at the time—and the bolstering of one side this fight seem like a tactical political move on the part of the filmmakers. As the plot overwhelms all of that, though, it becomes apparent the movie doesn't have a perspective, an opinion, or even much knowledge about or consideration for what's happening in the backdrop.

Anyway, Becker's task is to procure a Soviet helicopter for the Contras, buying it from local drug dealer Enrique (Mauricio Hénao). In order to accomplish this, he has to earn the trust of the Contras, maneuver the corrupt political landscape of dictator Manuel Noriega, and balance all of that with an ongoing investigation into the drug trade.

Other players on the ground include the Contra leader (played by Julio Ramos Velez), whose ruthless ways are repeatedly justified, and Cynthia (Jackie Cruz), a DEA contact who wants Becker to keep her informed of what Enrique and others are doing. As a way of giving the impression of awareness, by the way, definitions of certain terms occasionally pop on screen, although the fact the filmmakers believe they have to define "narc"—but little else about what's happening in the region—should give an idea of how unhelpful the gimmick is. Meanwhile, Becker also gets over his grief with almost laughable speed when he spots, woos, and beds Camila (Kiara Liz) within the span of about five minutes (The gratuitous—not to mention lazy and one-sided—sex scenes are definitely worth a few chuckles).

It's not as if the characterizations actually matter here. The filmmakers are more concerned with posturing (The most significant action sequence features a Contra leader striking different poses with his rifle) and betrayals that are equal parts predictable (By the end, it seems as if everybody wants everybody else dead) and questionable (Enrique challenges Becker to a motorcycle race for the helicopter, which is a transparent excuse for some kind of action in the middle of the plot).

That our protagonist is kind of dumb, as constantly admitted within or excused by Stark's hole-filling narration, certainly ensures that everyone has multiple chances to stab him in the back and draw out the thin plot until we can see right through it. Becker possesses neither the foresight to suspect people might be out to get him nor the hindsight to learn that he might be betrayed again—by the same person, no less.

All of this culminates with the U.S. invasion of the country, and one wonders if the filmmakers have any kind of thoughts about or understanding of that event. Panama only sees it as an excuse for a random rescue mission (of a character who has a single scene with our protagonist before that, involving a villain whose identity is only a surprise because the character's existence has been completely forgotten by the movie) and to bring an end to its mess of a plot without any kind of cleanup.

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