The movie "Play Dirty" (2025), directed by Shane Black and starring Mark Wahlberg, is a heist thriller with mixed reviews. It tells the story of Parker, a thief who teams up with Zen for a big New York City heist involving treasures from a 15th-century ship. The film combines action, comedy, and violence, with a plot centered on stealing treasures to fund a coup against a corrupt dictator. Critics highlight several points:
- Mark Wahlberg's performance as Parker is seen as rigid and lacking charisma, making the character hard to engage with compared to other works by director Shane Black.
- The movie features plenty of action and imaginative violence but is considered by some as one of Black's weaker films, lacking the fun and quip-heavy style seen in his classics like "Lethal Weapon" or "Kiss Kiss Bang Bang."
- Supporting cast members like LaKeith Stanfield and Rosa Salazar bring some life and complexity to the story.
- The film has a retro 1980s action-comedy feel with a mix of dry humor and brutal violence.
- The movie's pacing and moral tone have been criticized for being inconsistent and sometimes callous, but the storytelling includes some clever character moments.
- It runs 2 hours and 5 minutes and is rated R for intense violence, strong language, some sexual themes, and nudity.
- Audience scores hover around the 55-66% range, indicating a mixed reception.
Overall, "Play Dirty" is described as an uneven but occasionally entertaining heist thriller, with a nostalgic nod to classic action-comedies, appreciated more for style and some performances than depth or innovation.
