Black Site – A Passable Action Thriller Trope Fest

Generic and uninspired films can be somewhat enjoyable if they at least possess some originality and can still execute in spite of its flaws. When it comes to Black Site, it is yet another film that fails to do so. In the end, it is merely another generic action film that sees Michelle Monaghan play an emotionally damaged C.I.A. agent that found herself taking on a murderous detainee in what amounted to a dull chase at the heart of a throwaway.

Black Site follows C.I.A. agent Abby Trent (Monaghan) who had recently lost her husband and daughter following a hospital bombing. From there, she is assigned to a secret underground facility in the Jordanian desert known as the Citadel where she is tasked to oversee the interrogation of suspected terrorists. However, as she’s about to be recalled to Washington D.C., a team from the facility arrives with a new prisoner named Hatchet (Clarke), a prisoner for whom she shares a past history therefore also has a vested interest in interrogating him. Many viewers are likely to figure out what happens next as Hatchet finds a way to escape his imprisonment before wreaking havoc upon the countless guards and staff within the facility. The chase was on but it wasn’t nearly as exciting as it sounds, resulting in something that was boring for the most part despite featuring plenty of firearm and flashlight moments in dark.

It is clear that Black Site tries to add depth to its characters, especially Abby, but it fails to do so thus not giving viewers enough reason to care about anyone or anything that may happen to them over the course of its admittedly short running time, clocking in at around the 90 minute mark. Boasting a fair share of silly dialog, questionable moments and character choices, the script and the plot are so underwritten that it fails to make the movie intriguing in any way, shape, or form. 

Though the cast of Black Site does include some decently well-known actors in Monaghan, Clarke, and Courtney as Miller but again they are wasted and simply go through the motions as basic and thin characters with little to no depth whatsoever. The directorial debut of Sofia Banks, she does a fine job. That being said, it’s just not quite enough to save the film from or at least overcome its numerous issues. Meanwhile, its unpleasant greenish color palette is also uncomfortable to look at.

At the end of the day, despite its many issues, the film is still very short, which is something. Now it won’t be for everyone but there are still some parts to it that some viewers may very well enjoy. Ultimately, Black Site is a combination of multiple tropes within an already crowded action-thriller genre that adds absolutely nothing new to the table.

*still courtesy of Vertical Entertainment*

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Where to watch Black Site

Anmol Pandhi

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