There are some types of screen narratives that probably shouldn't be attempted in a limited way, and the "international spy thriller" may well be one of them. This concept was exemplified in "Alarm," starring Scott Eastwood and Willa Fitzgerald as the budget-minded "Mr." and Mrs. Smith," ex-spies unite in a low-key family life, armed with flashbacks punctuating their pasts. Michael Poland's film valiantly attempts to make up for mediocre production values ​​with plenty of action— But its performances are mediocre at best, Alexander Weishaupt's script never convinces, and the capable cast fails to spark, although Sylvester Stallone appears as a reluctant reunion. emerged as a former colleague.

The prologue in 2019 Prague sees Joe (Eastwood) shoot bullets out of a window before defeating his attackers, who are confronted by more people, including Laura (Fitzgerald). But confoundingly, the row appears to have been orchestrated so that the pair could quit their top-secret careers as world-traveling secret agents and disappear into civilian life together. Five years later, they were newly married and on their honeymoon in a winter resort town outside Gdańsk, trying to act "like normal people." Unfortunately, they seem to be suspected of possessing a flash drive that is highly coveted by gamers good, bad, and obscure all over the world. It starts with a small plane crashing near a forest, and the passengers on board look very much like professional assassins who have just been professionally assassinated.

Joe and tourists are hiking nearby and have just begun scouring the ruins when they are surrounded by a small group of hostile mercenaries led by the ruthless Orin (Mike Colter). Joe escapes, leading them on a machine-gun chase through the woods. Meanwhile, back at the resort, Lara does her best to keep guests and villagers from being slaughtered as these invading forces threaten everyone in their path. Two CIA-connected officers (D.W. Moffett and Mark Poland) keep an eye on the situation from a distance, and they have their own reasons for letting things go bloody rather than sending in the cavalry. They do fly with Chester (Stallone), Joe's former war buddy who is now willing to kill him if ordered to do so.

A convoluted plot, shifting loyalties, and some basics of "why on earth is this happening?" It’s hard to maintain integrity, largely because we never pay enough attention to care. The film is named after a fictional rogue espionage group who "want to overthrow the tyranny of the global intelligence network." Still, its existence remains nothing more than a rumor in Vesha's playbook.

For much of the time, Pole keeps his leads separated, putting them through knife fights, fist fights, gun fights, rocket fights, and more. However, this physical movement has neither the visceral impact of the "Bourne" movies nor the exaggerated scenes of the "First Blood" series, but alternately targets both. It doesn't help that some of the existing visual effects work is spotty.

The former art house director's 2020 Force of Nature stages another munition-wielding orgy of destruction in a remote setting. But its crisis-driven story is more original and its characters more grounded. Here, we never believe that the characters who appear so tough are just that, let alone that they are key players in the vast arena of transnational conspiracy.

Those who were recently cast aside by Fitzgerald's femme fatale in the indie film Stranger Things will be disappointed that the role required so little of her beyond athletic prowess. She and Eastwood attempt a tongue-in-cheek dynamic that only undercuts any pretense of mortal danger, while a weary Stallone and Big Moffat seem at times to be in on the joke—the material just isn't good enough to embrace it.

"Alarm" swaps rural Ohio scenes for those of rural Poland, and despite its occasional pauses, it's busy and paced enough to keep the viewer's attention diverted. But it's never exciting, suspenseful, intricate, or witty enough to keep you fully engaged. The over-the-top opening and closing credits seem designed to set off a film that's wilder than anything this stubbornly modest enterprise could manage.

Lionsgate will release this watchable but forgettable genre film in U.S. theaters and on digital and on-demand platforms on January 17.