Running with the Devil (2019)

Directed by: Jason Cabell | 92 minutes | crime, drama | Actors: Nicolas Cage, Cole Hauser, Leslie Bibb, Laurence Fishburne, Natalia Reyes, Peter Facinelli, Adam Goldberg, Barry Pepper, Clifton Collins Jr., Sarah Minnich, Tait Fletcher, Keith Jardine, Rib Hillis, Christian Tappan, Barbie Robertson, Luce Rains

Lovers of rock and metal will probably know the song ‘Running with the Devil’ by Van Halen. The track is characterized by the smooth build-up and some super cool guitar riffs. The graceful vocals of frontman David Lee Roth have also ensured that the song has entered the collective memory of guitar lovers. Whether the film of the same name – which incidentally has nothing to do with Van Halen – also manages to achieve this is doubtful. That does not mean that this film by Jason Cabell is not worth watching.

‘Running with the Devil’ is all about cocaine. When a shipment turns out to be cut up, a cartel leader is terrified. This villain decides to send his best man to check the supply chain.

This movie is a Colombian production. Attention is drawn to the drug problem with which the country is associated. Quite a bit of money has been made available for this film and it shows in the cast. Nic ‘I’ll play in any movie I’m offered to pay off my tax debt’ Cage, Laurence Fishburne and Leslie Bibb are on the payroll. Composer Reinhold Heil has also been recruited. This man made soundtracks for ‘Cloud Atlas’, ‘Perfume: The Story of a Murderer’, ‘Deadwood’ and ‘Run Lola Run’. So not the least.

Despite the budget and solid gameplay, this film has not become a classic. The pace is very fast and many characters are introduced in a short time. This murder rate results in a somewhat superficial film. The message – cocaine destroyed lives from all walks of life – is nice, but the effect could have been better. With a more subdued presentation and lesser known actors, this could have been a better movie. Now ‘Running with the Devil’ has become too slick a Hollywood production. This ended up being a long-get-home movie. You better listen to Van Halen…