Samuel L. Jackson's upcoming thriller "Unthinkable" just rounded out its casting list, and it's a decidedly odd mix of talent. Brandon Routh, Gil Bellows, Martin Donovan, and Carrie-Anne Moss are the four lucky actors who will all play FBI Agents shouted at by Jackson's black-ops agent. They're all given the unfortunate task of interrogating an American Muslim man, played by Michael Sheen, who claims to have planted nuclear bombs in three U.S. cities.
While it's an odd roster, it's certainly packed with geek cred. Can Superman, Trinity, and Mace Windu win against an Underworld werewolf? And would you rather see that movie than one of your deepest nightly news fears?
And while I'm not one to sniff at a solid action thriller, this one could prove problematic due to its choice of villain -- and the choice of actor portraying the villain, since Sheen is neither Muslim nor American. And here I thought the Russians are making a comeback as action cinema's terrorists of choice (see "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull," and the upcoming "Cold Warrior" and "Hunter-Killer.") But apparently there's still a need for Muslim terrorists onscreen. Maybe I am just overly sensitive to these things, or just too wary of a nuclear threat being all that fun to watch.
What do you guys think? Is any Jackson thriller worth seeing, or does the subject matter still hit a little too close to home?
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