Where to watch Walking Tall
2 1/2 Stars
The hard-boiled former U.S. Special Forces veteran and decorated sergeant, Chris Vaughn, is in for a rude awakening, as his peaceful hometown has changed radically. With the old cedar mill gone out of business for good–and a garish gambling house opened instead, promoting drugs and violence thanks to his old high-school nemesis, Jay Hamilton–Chris will have no other choice but to take matters into his own hands as the town’s new sheriff. Now, Jay’s murderous henchmen have no place to hide–and with a primitive and lethally efficient four-by-four fence post as his weapon of choice–Chris is determined to clean up the vice and the corruption in his beloved birthplace. Who will dare to stop Chris, the furious one-man-army?
“Walking Tall” is a lackluster remake of the 1971 action thriller that helped make Joe Don Baker a star in his time. This early 2000s version features Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson as Chris Vaughn, who, although not playing Buford T. Pusser, still seeks justice using a sturdy piece of lumber. The film has limited ambition, with cheap sets; the casino scene is amusingly cramped and gives off a B-movie vibe. Even more frustrating is that Johnny Knoxville receives second billing as the supposed comedic sidekick—a character he would portray again with better results in Schwarzenegger’s comeback vehicle, “The Last Stand.”
While “Walking Tall” offers some entertainment value, it ultimately feels like a step back for the WWE superstar turned action star. Johnson’s charming screen presence and impressive physique are overshadowed by the overall blandness of the film and its production quality. Neal McDonough, who plays a smarmy antagonist for the umpteenth time, gives a solid performance but is barely in the movie, leaving his character’s motivations unclear. Overall, “Walking Tall” ranks as a minor entry in Johnson’s filmography, comparable in memorability and quality to Schwarzenegger’s “Raw Deal” or Stallone’s “Nighthawks.”
Directed by: Kevin Bray
Written by: Mort Briskin, David Klass, Channing Gibson
Starring: Dwayne Johnson, Ashley Scott, Johnny Knoxville