Antoine Fuqua directs Mark Wahlberg in a tired load of action nonsense.
The action genre has a special built-in cheat code where the movie can be so stupid that it becomes a fun experience. There’re also action films like Antoine Fuqua’s Infinite, streaming on Paramount Plus this month, which is idiotic on a level that’s so extreme it becomes a chore to watch.
Evan McCauley (played by a bored-looking Mark Wahlberg) wakes up from a “dream” involving a man in a high-speed chase. He drives his shiny red sports car over a bridge, opens the car door in midair while it’s spinning in circles, and proceeds to throw a samurai sword into the side of a construction crane. He then leaps out of the car, still spinning in midair, and safely grabs onto the samurai sword handle without breaking a sweat. Thanks to the exposition dump narration opening the film, we know this isn’t a dream but a memory from Evan’s previous life.
He’s what they call an Infinite. Someone who can remember all their past lives, including the sword fighting and gun shooting expertise they learned over the centuries. To make things sillier, this group has splintered into two camps: the bad guys are called Nihilists who want to destroy humanity for vague reasons, and the Believers who think they should use their power to make the world a better place. They’re both after a dangerous piece of machinery called “The Egg” which destroys the DNA in every living specimen, putting a stop to the whole reincarnation thing. You can call it an Egg MacGuffin.
The villain trying to get his hands on the Egg MacGuffin is the bald and bearded Theodore “Ted” Murray (Chiwetel Ejiofor), who likes to get waterboarded for funsies and carries a terrifying weapon called “The Dethroner.” It uses special bullets to extract a person’s consciousness, which he then uploads into a hard drive so they can no longer be reborn. He’s a character that allows Ejiofor to chew the scenery like he’s in a hot dog eating contest. It’s appreciated in a movie so out of control, but his over-the-top choice of vocal patterns and wild eye acting comes off more like a Raul Julia impression.
Fuqua’s made a career out of being a capable action director, but here he’s grasping at different, superior action films without getting a handle on what makes them work. There’s the “forgotten memory” aspect from the Bourne series, where Jason Bourne slowly remembers he’s an expertly trained killing machine. But instead of being ahead of the audience, here we’re already miles in front of Wahlberg’s character by the time he’s fighting off attackers with a samurai sword. We’re not experiencing the discovery with him as we do with Bourne. Instead, we’re looking at our phones, waiting for him to catch up to us.
There are also several car chase sequences that reach for the Fast and Furious level of awe-inspiring stunt work, only to fall flat by being incoherent and badly choreographed, like with a chase through a police station that makes no sense even when compared to a franchise where cars are used to steal a bank vault. Not to mention there’s an attempt to replicate the intricate assassin mythology that deepens the John Wick series, but the convoluted “Infinites” mythology concerning a centuries-long rivalry between people who are good at reincarnation, and the faux philosophy about good and evil that comes with it, is more mind-numbing than enriching. It doesn’t heighten any stakes or make us care about what happens, even though we’re constantly told that the fate of humanity is on the line.
Infinity was originally scheduled to be dumped in theaters in August of 2020, but after reshuffling due to COVID-19, it’s now being sent directly to streaming. It could be a troubling sign that a Mark Wahlberg action film directed by Antoine Fuqua can’t get on the big screen, even in the garbage time that is August, but their past collaborations were never this broken. We desperately need more original, high-concept action films, and kudos to Fuqua for attempting. But the script needed to go through a few different lifetimes before being ready for production.
Infinite is now available on Paramount+.
Infinite Trailer:
Read next: The Spool's Best New Releases
Streaming guides
The Best Live TV Streaming Services With Free Trial
The praises of live TV streaming services don’t need to be further sung. By now, we all know that compared to clunky, commitment-heavy cable, live TV is cheaper and much easier to manage. But just in case you’re still on the fence about jumping over to the other side, or if you’re just unhappy with ... The Best Live TV Streaming Services With Free Trial
How to Watch Power Book III: Raising Kanan Season 3
Season 3 of the hotly anticipated Power spin-off, Power Book III: Raising Kanan, is arriving on Starz soon, so you know what that means: it’s the ’90s again in The Southside, and we’re back with the Thomas family as they navigate the ins and outs of the criminal underworld they’re helping build. Mekai Curtis is ... How to Watch Power Book III: Raising Kanan Season 3
How to Watch Doctor Who: 60th Anniversary Specials
Ladies and gentlemen, we’re so back! To celebrate Doctor Who’s 60th anniversary, the BBC is producing a three-episode special starring none other than the Tenth/Fourteenth Doctor himself, David Tennant. And to the supreme delight of fans (that would be me, dear reader), the Doctor will be joined by old-time companion Donna Noble (Catherine Tate) and ... How to Watch Doctor Who: 60th Anniversary Specials
Which Netflix Country Has Each Movie of The Hunger Games?
For whatever reason, The Hunger Games series isn’t available in the same countries around the world. You’ll find the first and second (aka the best) installments in Hong Kong, for instance, but not the third and fourth. It’s a frustrating dilemma, especially if you don’t even have a single entry in your region, which is ... Which Netflix Country Has Each Movie of The Hunger Games?
How to watch Lost Cities Revealed with Albert Lin Season 2
After a years-long hiatus, scientist and explorer Albert Lin is coming back to National Geographic with a fresh new season of Lost Cities, renamed “Lost Cities Revealed.” In the past, Lin, who is probably the closest we’ll ever get to a real-life Indiana Jones, has traveled everywhere from the ancient Knights Templar in Israel to ... How to watch Lost Cities Revealed with Albert Lin Season 2
How to Watch Paramount Network With a Free Trial
To date, Paramount Network has only two original shows on air right now: Yellowstone and Bar Rescue. The network seems to have its hands full with on-demand streaming service Paramount+, which is constantly stacked with a fresh supply of new shows. But Yellowstone and Bar Rescue are so sturdy and expansive that the network doesn’t ... How to Watch Paramount Network With a Free Trial
How to Watch WE TV With a Free Trial
Previously “Women’s Entertainment,” We TV has since rebranded to accurately reflect its name and be a more inclusive lifestyle channel. It’s home to addictive reality gems like Bold and Bougie, Bridezillas, Marriage Boot Camp, and The Untold Stories of Hip Hop. And when it’s not airing original titles, it has on syndicated shows like 9-1-1, ... How to Watch WE TV With a Free Trial
How to Watch FX With a Free Trial
You’d be hard-pressed to find a bad show airing on FX. The channel has made a name for itself as a bastion of high-brow TV, along with HBO and AMC. It’s produced shows like Atlanta, Fargo, The Americans, Archer, and more recently, Shogun. But because it’s owned by Disney, it still airs several blockbusters in ... How to Watch FX With a Free Trial
How to Watch A&E With A Free Trial
If you’re a fan of true crime and insider docu-shows like The First 48 and Court Cam, then you’re probably already familiar with A&E. The cable channel is home to other reality TV gems like Hoarders, Duck Dynasty, and Storage Wars (they’ve moved on to spin-offs like Road Wars, Customer Wars, and Prison Wars now). ... How to Watch A&E With A Free Trial
How to Watch Unimás With a Free Trial
As the sister channel of the much bigger Univision, Unimás is home to popular Spanish-language telenovelas and talk shows (yes, including El Gordo y La Flaca), as well as a couple of sports events and programs. Most notably, however, Unimás also operates a couple of station affiliates around the country, so it also reports local ... How to Watch Unimás With a Free Trial
How to Watch TNT With A Free Trial
For many sports fans, TNT is a non-negotiable. It broadcasts NBA, MLB, NHL, college basketball, and All Elite Wrestling matches. And, as a bonus, it also has reruns of shows like Supernatural, Charmed, and NCIS, as well as films like The Avengers, Dune, and Justice League. But while TNT used to be a cable staple, ... How to Watch TNT With A Free Trial