Hounds of War (2024)

Directed by Isaac Florentine and written by Jean‑Pierre Magro, Hounds of War follows elite mercenaries on a mission gone wrong. Frank Grillo stars as Ryder—the sole survivor—who goes rogue in search of revenge against those who betrayed his unit. Robert Patrick plays the scheming Colonel Hart, and Rhona Mitra appears in a supporting role. Cinematography by Ericson Core captures both combat and Malta’s scenic locations 

• Frank Grillo’s rugged presence: Consistent with his typical roles, Grillo delivers a stoic, physically commanding lead—although his emotional range is limited by the material 

• Robert Patrick’s villainy: Patrick injects energy as Colonel Hart, delivering a confidently sleazy antagonist .

• Action sequences & visual flair: Florentine helms solid fight choreography and gunplay, and Core’s camerawork makes locations in Malta visually striking 

• Shallow character development: Apart from Ryder and Hart, other characters remain undercooked—hurting emotional engagement 

• Formulaic revenge plot: The story follows a predictable beaten‑path mercenary vengeance arc without surprises .

• Uneven pacing & editing: While the film opens with intensity, it slows later on—and some action feels overly edited or clichéd 

• Mixed critical reception: With a Rotten Tomatoes tomatometer holding at just one critic review and average audience scores (~6/10), viewer impressions vary—some enjoy it as light action fare, others find it underwhelming .

Reddit reactions highlight the film’s straightforward, nostalgic action appeal:

“Cool movie—just wish we saw more of the hounds before they were all killed off…” 

IMDb viewers echo that sentiment:

“Frank Grillo always makes B‑grade action look better… enough to chill & relax in 90 min” 

Hounds of War offers solid, enjoyable action, held together by reliable lead performances and crisp visuals. Yet, the lack of character depth, predictable narrative, and inconsistent pacing prevent it from rising above the average merc‑revenge thriller.

Overall Rating: 5.5 / 10

• Fans of Grillo and Florentine’s brand of action

• Viewers who enjoy short, no-frills revenge thrillers

• Those seeking scenic combat set pieces in rugged locales

• You prefer strong narrative depth or surprising plot twists

• You dislike formulaic or underdeveloped characters

• You expect fast-paced storytelling throughout