Director: Steven Quale
Writers: Luc Besson & Richard Wenk
Starring: Sullivan Stapleton, Sylvia Hoeks, J.K. Simmons, Charlie Bewley, Joshua Henry
Genre: Action / Heist / War
Runtime: 105 minutes
Set against the backdrop of the Bosnian War in the mid‑1990s, American Renegades follows a unit of U.S. Navy SEALs stationed in Sarajevo. During some downtime, they learn of Nazi gold submerged in a flooded town’s bank vault. Deciding to retrieve it—partly to help local civilians, partly for personal gain—they embark on a dangerous underwater heist while racing against competing forces and internal conflicts.
1. Intriguing Genre Mash-Up
The film successfully merges military action with the suspense of a heist thriller. The underwater city and submerged vault sequences add a unique visual hook that stands out in the crowded war-action genre.
2. Slick Production Values
Steven Quale (known for Final Destination 5) brings polished direction and scale—tank chases, helicopter insertions, and night‑diving lend kinetic energy to many set-pieces.
3. Standout Supporting Cast
While the SEAL team suffers from interchangeable characterizations, J.K. Simmons provides much-needed texture as a gruff commanding officer, injecting moments of gravitas amid the predictability.
2. Flimsy Plot & Uneven Tone
Though visually dynamic, the narrative is surprisingly shallow. The film moves swiftly, but often skirts character depth or moral tension. The Bosnian humanitarian justification feels like lip service.
3. Mixed Critical Response
On Rotten Tomatoes the film holds just a 10% critics rating and 40% audience score. Metacritic lists “generally unfavorable reviews,” citing style over substance.
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Decider: “Slick visuals… but bland characterizations.”
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LA Times: “Makes sunken Nazi gold boring… pacing is leaden, plot lacks imagination.”
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RogerEbert.com: “As superficial as Ocean’s 11 but without the fun.”
While some viewers praised Simmons and the concept, many found the film dull and predictable:
“The acting is unconvincing… plot misses the opportunity to be an exciting thriller.” – IMDb user cruise01 (4/10)
“Actually a very good… B‑type film with decent story and directing,” one user countered, though criticizing the score.
*A visually appealing action-heist hybrid, American Renegades has potential—but ultimately stumbles on execution. Its blend of military discipline and treasure-hunt adventure is intriguing, but the film never builds enough character investment to match its ambitious premise. J.K. Simmons provides a rare spark of life, but the rest is surface-level. Unless you’re a die-hard genre fan or craving sunken-gold escapism, this is one mission you can skip.
