Interceptor  ★★

IT PAINS me to give Interceptor a low rating.

Matthew Reilly is a self-made success story.

The Australian author has written more than a dozen successful books aimed primarily at action fans.

Reilly’s books are written to a formula, told simply with a cliffhanger at the end of every chapter.

His heroes are writ large and the action writ even larger.  Think Bruce Willis’ charisma in his heyday combined with the action of latter-day Fast and Furious films and that will give you some idea.

His books are ready-made for Hollywood but, to do them justice, requires a fair bit of dough and that is the nub of the problem with Interceptor.

Reilly managed to get Netflix and his backers to stump up $15 million and also allow him to direct.

But being a novelist with big ideas doesn’t mean you can conjure up a great film, particularly when you are trying to create a mega-hit with a minimal budget.

Reilly would have been better off scaling back his ambitions and handing the reigns to a more talented director used to working with little money.

I’m not sure how much Elsa Pataky got of the budget but she is mis-cast as an action hero.

Sure, she might look the part, but there is nothing in the writing of the character or her performance that suggests she could save the world from extinction.

Pataky’s partner Chris Hemsworth appears briefly for one of the worst cameos I have ever had the misfortune to witness.

Reilly’s books are very cinematic and I have enjoyed most of them. Interceptor is another thing entirely.